General Disaster
by LetitiaRichards
Summary: On the orders of the Joint chiefs, A special guest joins SG1 on a routine mission, that turns out to be anything but.
1. Chapter 1

_You asked for this...Another new story, so don't say I didn't warn you. Hope you enjoy it. Updates may be a little slower than usual as this is all I've been able to write so far. I'll do my best not to keep you all waiting for too long._

**General Disaster**.

By LetitiaRichards.

Category: Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Romance.

Pairings: Jack/Sam.

Season: 5

Spoilers: Maybe a few, don't know specifics yet!

Summary: On the orders of the Joint Chiefs, a special guest joins SG-1 on a routine mission.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1; I wish I did! No copyright infringements intended. Just borrowing the characters for a little fun and I promise to return them just as I found them. Well, almost!

GENERAL DISASTER.

by LetitiaRichards.

_Chapter 1 – Bad News._

"Glad you could join us Colonel!"

General Hammond's acerbic remark made Jack feel even more irritable as he took his place at the briefing room table. Another thing that Jack found slightly irritating this morning was that Major Davis was also seated at the table too. That usually meant problems. Problems with a capital 'P' and as always it indicated that they were about to embark on something distasteful that the Pentagon or the Joint Chiefs had cooked up.

Jack's scowl deepened.

Jack O'Neill could see it was already turning out to be one of those days. He was late for the start of the briefing. Okay, so it wasn't a scheduled meeting and he hadn't known anything about it until the last minute, but so far it had been a real doozey of a day, and it was still early.

The morning had started badly and was going downhill rapidly. To begin with he'd dropped his favourite mug, complete with hot coffee, onto the floor when it had slipped from his fingers and smashed to pieces as he'd moved it to the table from the counter top. He was running late anyway as for some unknown reason he'd slept longer than was usual for him and his alarm hadn't gone off; a known recipe for disaster, and he was literally all fingers and thumbs too which hadn't helped. That old cliché of 'More haste less speed' was buzzing around inside his head, and so far it had rung so true; this morning in particular was a perfect example.

Then as if that wasn't enough, in the middle of cleaning up the mess from his kitchen floor, the General had phoned him to say he had scheduled a meeting for first thing. Jack was growing more frustrated by the minute. He looked at the clock and grumbled, along with his stomach; breakfast would have to go by the wayside if he was to make it to the SGC in time. Then the truck decided of all days to have one of its tyres develop a puncture, so there he was all in a rush to get to Cheyenne mountain, and having to wait at the side of the road for the tow-truck.

Nope! It just wasn't his day.

Now the General's barbed comment about him being late was only adding to the stress that he was experiencing and his self-destruct level was climbing ever higher. He was sooo not in a good mood, and it was only 07.40hrs and a Monday morning to boot. Not a good start to the week. Could it get any worse than this? he wondered. If Major Davis had anything to say...then Jack knew the answer would be...Oh yeah!

Jack mumbled an apology looking sheepish but offered no excuses as to his tardiness when he sat himself down in the chair.

He could feel the eyes of his team as well as those of the Major and the General, watching him closely. He hung his head but his eyes glanced up at the rest of SG-1, Sam Carter's cerulean eyes held something between amusement and sympathy; Daniel Jackson on the other hand could barely contain his wry grin and his eyes showed that Jack wasn't going to be allowed to forget being late for once in the months to come, maybe never, who knew? Daniel was the one that was nearly always late, and it was totally unheard of in Jack's case; and this little incident meant he was never going to live this down any time soon.

Teal'c, the last but not least important member of the elite SGC team, gave nothing away to the casual observer, but Jack knew better than that. Over the years of working along side the stoic warrior, he knew what to look for under that steady gaze, and the slight lifting of that eyebrow gave him the idea that Teal'c was curious but also amused. Major Davis on the other hand had looked slightly embarrassed under Jack's scowling glare, and with visibly trembling fingers, fiddled with the papers spread out in front of him over the table, and cleared his throat nervously.

Then again, General Hammond, was being the typical Commanding Officer. His steely blue gaze, showed nothing but that superior, 'I'll deal with why you're late, 'later' look, that meant he was sooo in the 'dog house'.

Oh yeah, definitely a bad day, and Jack scowled at the thought of what Major Davis could possibly say that would totally piss him off today.

"Colonel!"

General Hammond's commanding voice brought him back to his senses. His thoughts had been straying, yet another reason for amusement from his team and frustration in him. Now Hammond had further grounds to censure him. This day just got worse.

"Sorry sir...bad day" Jack apologised, dragging his wayward thoughts back to the meeting at hand. "So, what's goin' on?" he asked, trying to concentrate, or at least attempting to show willing to participate in the briefing.

"Let's get down to business people, shall we? Major Davis?" Hammond commanded, bring the meeting to order.

"Er...yes sir," he began nervously.

"Would you like to recap and fill Colonel O'Neill in as to why we're here?"

"Yes sir...em..." Paul Davis stood up, cleared his throat, and shuffled a few of the official papers around on the table. Hesitantly, and a little apologetically, he launched into the reason he was there at this hastily called meeting. He cleared his throat again timidly and began.

"The Appropriations committee, has come to the conclusion that the SGC is spending far too much time and 'money' on...er...needless requests. They feel that there should be far less expenditure on items taken off-world, and that this base is wasting valuable taxpayer's money by simply losing expensive items, such as weaponry or...or by dumping them when..."

Davis broke off under the infuriated looks, from both General Hammond and Jack, that he faltered and cleared his throat once again.

"So what they're saying is that we're wastin' far too much money? And that we're spendin' waaay too much time doing it?" Jack asked irritably, getting the gist of the message, despite Davis' rambling; and not liking it one bit.

"Ah, i...in a nut shell Colonel, yes," Davis sighed, almost as if he was relieved that he didn't have to explain everything again and in more detail.

"For a start, they have no idea what it's like out there..." Jack snapped, jerking forward ready to defend the SGC's budget deficit.

"Colonel!" Hammond halted Jack's angry diatribe before it had really begun. Jack stopped, drawing back into his chair with barely controlled temper. Hammond frowned but returned his attention to Davis. "I'd like to point out that every penny that is spent in this command is duly accounted for Major. Be it under this mountain or out in the field. None of it is 'wasted'. May I remind you that this is a front line of defence Major, and that during a fight or flight situation, certain items are unfortunately abandoned or lost; including on occasions, good men's lives."

"Yes!" crowed Jack punching the air with his fist. 'You tell em George!' he rooted silently. Hammond ignored his gesture, his blazing eyes still boring into the unfortunate Major.

"The committee isn't disputing that fact General." Davis hastily placated the General. "It merely wishes to know why it happens so frequently and that your teams should take greater care with their equipment, thus lessening the cost, and the use of the Stargate must be limited so that means a cut down on needless missions."

Davis hesitated again, looking sheepishly at Jack, before he continued.

"Em...and...and SG-1 in particular, it seems, is the worst offender with regards to the loss of equipment in these instances," he squeaked. His voice losing some of it's quality, knowing that Jack was about to explode.

He could see Jack's face take on a strangled look, as he spluttered indignantly.

"How the hell would they know? I'd like to see them grab everything and run for the gate whilst getting shot at; or running like hell to avoid capture; or even worse. It's our asses out there on the line..."

"Colonel!" Yet again, Hammond's command stopped Jack from continuing. He was just a furious as Jack, and maybe Jack had more reason to be mad, but he didn't need him to overstep the line here. This wasn't the Major's fault.

Jack closed his mouth, pressing his lips tightly together in a straight line whilst snorting heavily down his nose, and shooting Davis an infuriated glare. He was frustrated beyond words. He'd like nothing better than to take hold of the little man and shake some sense into him.

Davis looked embarrassed but his features were sympathetic, and clearly read, 'Please don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger here'.

"I'm sorry Colonel, but I'm here merely to relay the facts. I don't make the decisions."

"So what exactly are they saying here? Because we can't cut down on people's lives Major! We need this basic equipment if we're to carry out our objectives. What are they suggesting that we do?" Hammond sounded a lot more calmer than he really felt inside.

"Ah..." he swallowed a gulp. "...um...supervision sir."

"What?" yelled Jack, now pushed past his limited patience. "You're suggesting that we need SUPERVISING?" he shouted, shooting to his feet absolutely stunned by the suggestion.

"N...not...not all the time Colonel. Just...once or twice. The Pentagon wants to see exactly what goes on out there..." his voice trailed off again. The fear of being lynched by the livid man uppermost in his thoughts.

"Colonel! Jack, sit down. Please," Hammond urged, trying to placate the furious officer.

Jack turned to face his CO and could see that General Hammond was just as shocked by the proposal as he was. He scowled but resumed his seat, quietly fuming.

Sam was furious too, and she would swear she could see steam coming from Jack's ears.

TBC


	2. Surprises

_Well, this was quicker than I bargained for...so here's the second chapter already. I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews folks, you are too kind! Not that I don't enjoy them...LOL! Thanks._

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

Sam was furious too, and she swore she could see steam coming from Jack's ears.

_Chapter 2 – Surprises._

"Ah...what exactly does the Appropriations Committee think goes on out there? And what difference will having a 'supervisor' around make, apart from endangering his or her life in the very real threat from any unforeseen dangers that so often lurk off-world?" Daniel asked. "I don't see how this will help."

Everyone turned to face the Major, anticipating his reply to what was a very reasonable question. One that they were all thinking at the time.

Davis stuttered again.

"I...I'm just the messenger Dr. Jackson. I did try to point out the unnecessary risks but Senator Kinsey as head of the committee was most insistent that these measures go ahead regardless. He put it to the Joint Chiefs who gave the go ahead."

"Oh yeah. He would. I don't suppose he'd volunteer to be our supervisor? After all he wouldn't want to risk his neck out there, would he?" Jack snorted in disgust. It just had to be that Rat Bastard behind this ridiculous idea.

"No sir. He...um... I...er...guess he wouldn't Colonel," Davis replied earnestly, completely missing the sarcasm in Jack's voice.

"I didn't think so. So who then? What poor SOB do we have to drag around on our next mission?" Jack asked. "Just so that he, or she, can tell us to stop and pack all our gear away and that would the enemy please hold fire until we've finished clearing up after us. Then, and only then, can they chase us half way across the damn planet in order to get back to the gate with our asses full of holes." Jack grew more agitated with every word until he was almost yelling. "And when one of us gets wounded, or killed, will we have to stop again and mop all traces of blood and bring home every piece of gauze so that it can be accounted for, before leaving too!"

"I'm sure it's not going to be as bad as that Colonel," Davis pointed out reasonably, still cringing under Jack's tone.

"No?" Jack snapped.

"So, if I might ask, who are we taking with us?" Sam asked, giving Jack a quick look under her eyelashes as if she was half afraid of what his reaction would be.

"Uh...The...em...committee suggests that as SG-1 is the flag-ship team, that…um... that no-one less than a General would be suitable to undertake the task."

"Oh great! A General? How appropriate!" Jack snorted in derision. Jack just hoped it wasn't someone like General Bauer. That man was a disaster in the making. "So who's the lucky guy with the stars?"

"Actually Colonel, That would be General Hammond. He has been chosen to accompany you this time and that, other less superior officers, would follow with the later teams."

All heads now turned towards General Hammond who sat in stunned silence and shock, his blue/grey eyes wide in disbelief. They were actually going to send him off-world? He could hardly believe his luck; and with SG-1 no less.

"They actually want me to go along with SG-1 on a normal mission?" he asked incredulously.

"That's very convenient of them!" Jack sighed in bitterness before turning towards the General, his face softening a little. "I've got nothing personally against you joining us General, we'd be honoured sir. In fact, I think you'd probably enjoy it. But it's just the idea of you being forced into this situation, just as we are, that I'm opposed to."

"You're right Colonel. It's not something that I would want to impose upon your team but if I have no choice in the matter, then I would consider it a privilege to join you all."

Sam couldn't help smiling at him with genuine warmth, even though she turned cool eyes back to Davis.

Jack turned his attention back to Davis, his temper cooling now he knew their 'supervisor' was going to be Hammond, but he wasn't by any means mollified by the insinuation that they needed to be observed whilst on a mission.

"So, who's gonna run the show if we're both off-world?" Jack asked. Being that he, as 2IC of the base, and the General will be away at the same time.

"As a temporary commander and one who is familiar with the running of the SGC, they recommended that General Bauer..."

"What?" the chorus of startled voices rose to a crescendo. "You're joking?"

"He was a disaster from the moment he stepped onto this base Major. No way!" Jack cried.

"Colonel!"

Jack turned back to Hammond, well aware that he was pushing his luck.

"Sorry sir, but Bauer? For cryin' out loud General, no disrespect to your rank sir, but...I mean...Bauer?" Jack just couldn't believe it. "I doubt we'll have a base to come back too if he takes command."

"Jack!" General Hammond was in total agreement with his second, but he was as much a victim as they were in this; and he had no desire to see Jack's objections reported back to the committee, especially to Senator Kinsey. Jack didn't need another nail in his coffin. Kinsey was already wielding the hammer ready to seal his tomb. "Please, just...settle down," he ordered. He was already at odds with the Colonel for being late.

Jack immediately shut up. He read the unspoken message in the General's expression, and had no wish to put the General in an untenable position with his superiors, or add ammunition to his bad boy image.

"When does this mission take place Major? Do we know that yet?" Hammond asked, outwardly calmer than he felt inside.

"Ah..." Davis shuffled through his notes, looking for the dates. He handed the General a piece of paper and studied his own copy. "SG-1, and yourself sir, will leave on the mission in three days time sir. That, according to the Joint chiefs should give you enough days to prepare yourselves."

Jack harrumphed quietly, giving Davis an icy glare. Under the table, Sam's hand found his thigh and she gave it a gentle squeeze. His hand closed over the top of hers and held it for a moment before she coughed and removed her hand. She didn't want to get caught touching Jack inappropriately. Not now anyway. Davis might act like a friendly soul, but there was no telling how strict he was about the rules. Hammond had turned a blind eye towards their friendship, but they never pushed it beyond the envelope. At work they were all professionalism, at home on down time was a different matter, so long as they were discreet about it.

Jack silently thanked her for her calming influence. She always managed to get him to cool his temper and think twice before speaking outright. It had saved him a beating or too off-world. He could tell she was just as incensed as he was about this but relaxed when they discovered their escort was to be General Hammond.

Davis looked a little lost until Hammond gently prodded him to continue.

"What exactly is the aim of the mission Major?"

"Ah...that...that's up to you sir. As far as the Pentagon was concerned, you get to pick the location sir. Nothing has changed that."

"Well, that's somethin' I guess," Jack drawled with less than his usual enthusiasm.

"Major Carter," Hammond turned to face Sam, "Can I rely on you to come up with a suitable planet for our mission?"

"Yes sir," she replied without hesitation, "I'll run this through the computer and see what new location it can come up with."

"No trees this time Carter, please..." Jack began but Hammond cut him off again with just a deep scowl. Jack shut up and underneath the table he clenched his fists in frustration.

"It's recommended that your stay will be of two or three days duration General," Davis said, trying hard to ignore Jack's steel hard dark eyes boring into him with disapproval. "The Joint Chiefs also wish me to remind you that they would like you to find some tangible technology which we can use in the near future, and to stress the importance of this mission."

Davis swallowed the lump in his throat when he felt angry eyes piercing right into his soul at this last statement. He knew it would bring about the worst reactions from the team and the General who had always tried to do their best but he also knew it wasn't an easy thing to find. Those that had the advanced technology didn't like to share as SG-1 had found out to their cost on occasions. The Tollan were a good example of this refusal to share.

General Hammond just glared at him reproachfully and decided that he had heard enough of this, and called a halt to the meeting.

"Alright Major, I think we've heard enough for now. Major Carter will find a suitable planet and I will prepare myself for off-world travel though I hardly think SG-1's accountability is in question here, and warrant's my supervision but we will do as required. Major Davis, SG-1, you're dismissed. Colonel, I'd like to see you in my office now."

"Yes sir!" they replied. Davis, Carter and O'Neill stood to attention as the General retreated to his office.

Jack glanced up from under his eyelashes at Davis who had his eyes downcast on his paperwork, feeling about as welcome as a Pork chop at a Jewish wedding.

Jack moved his sight sideways and caught Sam's eyes then rolled his in frustration. She gave him a small sympathetic smile in return and then stood upright again, picking up his report file and pen and knew by the General's tone that he was in trouble for several reasons; first and foremost for being late to the meeting.

TBC


	3. Setting Off

_I am so sorry to keep you all waiting for the next chapter. It's chaotic here right now, so I hope this chapter makes sense._

_However I feel I must make a few points in order to clear up few discrepancies that have been pointed out to me..._

_To my way of thinking, Davis has always been a little nervous and in awe of his superiors, and given the message that he was to pass on, I felt that his nerves would probably get the better of him, hence his being overawed and rather timid._

_Yes, under normal circumstances, General Hammond probably wouldn't go on a mission with an SG team, but this isn't a normal situation/story and as the plot develops I hope you will understand why he was there. Zoser and Ilovesg1 had the right idea. _

_I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews, and I'm glad most of you are enjoying this for what it is...just a story. My aim it to entertain._

General Disaster.

By Lingren.

_Previously:-_

Jack moved his sight sideways and caught Sam's eyes then rolled his in frustration. She gave him a small sympathetic smile in return and then stood upright again, picking up his report file and pen and knew by the General's tone that he was in trouble for several reasons; first and foremost for being late to the meeting.

Chapter 3 – Setting off.

SG-1 were gathered in the gate-room. Daniel was still futzing with his back-pack, packing and repacking it, making sure he had everything he needed, or might need. Jack was standing a few feet away from him, watching him with idle curiosity, his hands draped loosely over the butt of the P-90 hanging from its strap around his neck. He was keyed up for the mission, but outwardly appeared relaxed as always.

Sam Carter was standing next to Jack and giving him a run down on the mission as they waited, unaware that Jack's concentration was on the archaeologist because he'd zoned out of her technical details. He was punctuating her inventory of details with his usual comments; until she noticed his glazed expression. Without missing a beat she added a little extra to her summary, dropping her voice to a mere whisper.

"Of course, we have to make sure that when Mickey Mouse actually meets up with Minnie that they're left alone to 'converse' and that Donald Duck doesn't run off and get himself into trouble when no-one is looking..."

Jack turned his head round to look at her. Her blue eyes were sparkling with mischief and her grin was infectious.

"I was listening!" he said, pursing his lips against her suggestion that he wasn't.

"Yes sir, of course you were," she responded dryly.

"Carter...just for that, you're looking after Donald Duck when we arrive," he grinned, waving a hand at Daniel.

Sam grimaced, but broke into one of those smiles that made him melt inside, and sent his heart beating faster. Seeing that she'd had such an effect on him, she giggled.

"No giggling Major!" he ordered, but the light behind his deeply set chocolate eyes belied his stern rebuke.

Finally Daniel had finished packing his pack to his satisfaction and Teal'c helped him to lift it onto his shoulders. He staggered a little under the weight, but after a little jiggling around, he was happier.

Jack sighed with disapproval, but Daniel was Daniel; he couldn't go anywhere without his note books, and god help him, if he was injured on this mission and he had to carry either the man himself or his backpack home again.

His thoughts were distracted when the blast doors opened to admit one, geared up and ready to go, General Hammond.

"Colonel," Hammond greeted him. "As I stated before Jack, this is your mission. I'm just a bystander on this," he said, adding, "Try to forget I'm there,"

"Can't do that sir. It's our honour to have you on board General," Jack replied straight away, putting the senior officer at ease.

"Then let's get underway Colonel."

"Yes sir!" Jack turned back towards the window overlooking the room, where Sergeant Davis was waiting for his orders. "Dial her up Sergeant!"

Sg-1 unconsciously formed their usual line-up, though Jack stepped back and allowed the General to take up a position in front of him, but behind the others, protecting him should they run into an attack on the other side of the gate. The M.A.L.P showed no alien life-signs but that didn't mean squat as far as Jack was concerned. He never trusted the robot probe as far as he could throw it. It had been wrong more times than it had been right in predicting trouble with a capital 'T'.

The dialling sequence clunked and locked and very soon the wormhole had whooshed into life, its shimmering blue water-like event horizon flickering round the room, lighting it in an eerie glow.

"Teal'c!" Jack ordered, knowing he didn't need to say anything else, because the Jaffa warrior knew exactly what his orders were.

Teal'c dipped his head and stepped into the wormhole, Daniel and Sam following after him. Hammond stopped at the very edge and stared at the shimmering matter. Jack stopped next to him and gently touched his commander's shoulder.

"Piece of cake sir!"

"I know," Hammond replied with a smile. "I've done this before, but I never actually believed I'd go on a proper mission. I'm savouring the moment Colonel."

"Savour away sir!" Jack said, giving the rippling surface a flick with his hand, and watching the effect spread outwards. "This never gets old General."

"It's just a pity we do, huh Jack?"

Jack grinned.

"You just said a cotton-pickin' mouthful sir!" Jack said in earnest. "Ready General?"

Hammond nodded then stepped through to another world, with Jack on his heels.

OoOoOoOoO

They stepped out onto a lush green swathe surrounded by trees and hills. In the background purple snow-capped mountains formed the horizon. The weather was warm, and a little breeze gently ruffled their clothing and hair.

Jack hooked his sunglasses and propped them onto his nose, surveying the area under the sunshine and blue skies.

"Carter? What have we got?" Jack called, taking charge now they had all arrived.

Sam was over by the DHD, checking it over, while Teal'c stood sombre and tall, surveying the landscape for hostiles.

"The DHD checks out sir. No sign of any hostiles as yet. Everything goods sir."

"Okaaayy!" Jack said, drawing out the word. "Which way were the ruins Daniel?"

"Ah...about twelve miles that way Jack. I guess you would call it to the east, if that's where the sun is heading to the west; though it's difficult to know if it's rising or setting at the moment..."

"Ack! Daniel" he warned.

"To our left Jack!" Daniel confirmed, sheepishly.

"Thank you!" he answered with a scowl. "Carter, take point, Teal'c watch our sixes. Heads up people, we don't know what's out there."

They set off together, Jack talked with the General while Daniel went up front with Sam, leaving Teal'c on his own at the back.

Jack could see Daniel up ahead talking animatedly to Carter, and couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. Hammond noticed the smile.

"Is he always this passionate on a mission?"

Jack snorted with amusement.

"Only when there's some ruins at the end of the trek sir; then I have to virtually hold him back," Jack smirked.

He noticed that the General was getting a little puffed by the pace, and called ahead to Carter, to slow the pace down a little.

Hammond refuted the face, but they had to slow down anyway as the trail led up the side of a steep hill.

Jack was fully aware that the older man was tiring, despite his denial. After a couple of hours walking, Jack called a halt for some lunch and a break.

They'd reached the top of the hill and had found a clearing, overlooking the valley they just climbed out of. They could see the gate clearly from there and Hammond realised just how far they had walked. He was hot and weary, but refused to let himself dwell on how unfit he was. He always knew how far his teams walked, but this was no walk in the park; this was a trek across rough country. They'd slipped over rock strewn paths, squelched through boggy ground and forded streams. His feet and pants up to his knees were wet, and he was uncomfortable, sweating inside his jacket from his efforts, but he never heard one murmur of complaint from SG-1. In fact the conversation over energy bars and tepid water was jovial and teasing. Teal'c he noticed too, remained slightly aloof from the bantering, choosing instead to keep his eyes on the trees around them; ever watchful.

If it wasn't for the fact that he knew he was on another world, he could be anywhere in one of the many National Parks back home. He was beginning to relax a little especially when Jack included him in the conversation. The scenery was pleasant, the company enjoyable, though he knew without a doubt that things could change at the drop of a hat. Not that he was expecting trouble at all, and despite Jack's outward light-hearted playfulness, he knew the man was alert to his surroundings.

Not that he was looking for trouble; he was just waiting for the other boot to drop. Things were going too smoothly so far; given SG-1's standard luck on missions. He only hoped that if things did go south during this trip, that he wouldn't be a burden to the team.

TBC


	4. The plot thickens

_Well, here you are folks, another chapter in the tale. Perhaps now some of you will understand the reasoning behind my plot. Am I devious or am I not? Enjoy! I hope you didn't mind if I asked a friend to help me out in the last chapter, my muse was a bit thin on the ground._

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

Not that he was looking for trouble; he was just waiting for the other boot to drop. Things were going too smoothly so far; given SG-1's standard luck on missions. He only hoped that if things did go south during this trip, that he wouldn't be a burden to the team.

Chapter 4

They packed up and moved off again, this time Jack took their sixes while Daniel entertained the General. Teal'c took point and Sam walked beside Jack at the rear.

Jack couldn't help but feel sorry for the General when he could see Daniel waving his arms around to press home a point in his obvious lecture for the General's benefit, and could only thank god that he wasn't on the receiving end for once.

He exchanged amused looks with Sam then turned his attention back to surveying the immediate area around them. They walked on, feeling, like they were out for a Sunday afternoon stroll. Jack didn't need anyone to tell him that things were going too smoothly.

It was late that afternoon when they approached the ruins. Daniel wanted to dive in straight away but Jack restrained him, telling him it would be dark soon, and that they needed to check it out first.

He left Sam in charge of the camp site they'd found not far from the ruins, but hidden from view. She pitched the tents with Hammond's help, while Daniel fretted about what, if anything, Jack and Teal'c had found, while he gathered some firewood to heat the water.

"It's my guess Dr. Jackson," Hammond began, "that the ruins have been there for quite a number of years, I doubt very much one more night will make any difference. I am sure Colonel O'Neill knows what he's talking about when he said to wait until the morning. I would have said the same."

Daniel felt the gentle rebuke more than he let on. If it were Jack, he would have argued but he couldn't very well do that to the General, and he was beginning to regret...no regret was too strong a word in this case...wish perhaps... wish that they were on their own. Not that he had anything against the General; he was genuinely a nice man, but with Jack he could be himself. The General's presence was putting a dampener on his behaviour and, he suspected, everyone else's too.

"I'm sorry. Yes Jack's right, and you're right too General. Everybody's right. I...can... It can wait," he answered with a slight trace of annoyance evident in his voice.

Hammond chuckled to himself, but hid his amusement. He was beginning to see why Jack got so frustrated with the archaeologist on occasions; he'd try the patience of a saint and Jack was certainly no saint.

As soon as Jack and Teal'c came back it was easy to see that Daniel was growing impatient.

"Jack?"

"In the morning Daniel!" Jack had said shooting down his expected plea to be allowed to take a peek right now.

"But..."

"Daniel...in case you hadn't noticed, its' already getting too dark to see clearly," Jack sighed.

Jack exchanged glances with General Hammond and knew it was the right thing to do.

Daniel however still wanted to argue, but Jack beat him to the begging questions.

"I said NO Daniel. In the morning. We have three days here, that should be enough for ya!" Jack snapped, growing irritated. He stalked off to the fire and warmed his hands. "Any coffee in that pot yet Carter?" he asked, his voice softening for her.

"Yes sir," she said and promptly poured him a cup of the dark brew, their fingers barely touching when she passed it to him, but the touch meant a lot to them.

He sat down on a fallen log and cupped his hands round it, sipping the beverage slowly. It had grown chilly when the sun had dipped below the distant hills and he was glad that they had brought blankets with them as well as sleeping bags, because they'd certainly need them tonight.

A hand on his shoulder brought his senses back to the present.

"Kids huh?" Hammond chuckled softly. "For fear of repeating myself here... Is he always this eager? Like a kid at a candy store?"

"Oh yeah!" Jack sighed.

Jack looked up at his CO with a smirk, and rolled his eyes heavenwards before he glanced over at Daniel who was sitting as far away from the fire as possible with his head in his notes, trying to read by the torchlight. He knew Daniel was miffed at him, but had anything else been said anything to him while he was away from the camp? It sure looked as if he was being his usual stubborn self, sulking in the proverbial corner. He shook his head and turned back to the conversation around the fire.

They spent a pleasant hour talking while they ate the tasteless MREs. Daniel had finally joined them, being too cold to stay away from the heat. Hammond made them all laugh, including Daniel, when he innocently asked if he was eating chicken when it was supposedly macaroni cheese. At least, it should have been, according to the label. He'd forgotten how bad the meal packs were, not having been out in the field for a fair number of years now.

Jack organised them into watches and then ordered the others to bed as it were.

OoOoOoOoO

"My Lord."

"Speak! What have you to say?"

"I bring news my Lord, of the Tau'ri."

"By their own traitor?"

"Yes my Lord. All has gone as planned. He said they were to be on Protarius 4 as previously arranged. The Tau'ri known as SG-1 and their leader, General Hammond too."

"Then you have done well. Reward the traitor for his trouble and make sure he tells no more lies."

"As you wish my Lord."

The servant stood and bowed, walking backwards away from his god's presence.

Osiris smiled evilly and turned to her First Prime.

"Set a course for Protarius 4 and make haste. We wouldn't want to miss them now, would we?" She laughed at her own joke and stalked back to sit herself on the mounted throne in the middle of the pel'tak, eager to arrive at the planet where she would capture the Tau'ri scum and deliver them to her new master, Anubis.

OoOoOoOoO

SG-11 moved easily towards the Stargate when a Goa'uld scout ship flew over their positions. Major Peterson ordered them to take cover, but his words were cut off in mid stream when he was blasted by cannon fire from the spacecraft; he was dead before he hit the ground.

The ring transport deposited several Jaffa all of whom fired as soon as they were able, taking out most of the Tau'ri team after a brief but intense battle. Only one survived.

He stood up when he saw his contact ring down, and approached unhindered; and unseen, he was silently surrounded.

"Dar'eth! I might have know it. Why have you killed the rest of my team?" he demanded angrily. "That wasn't part of the plan. Colonel Simmons won't be very pleased when he hears about this."

"He will know no different. Your usefulness is over. My Lord Osiris sends her reward."

With that he nodded to his Jaffa escort, who all fired at the hapless traitor, killing him instantly, before he could escape.

Dar'eth examined the bodies to make sure that none of the Tau'ri survived, then returned to his ship with his warriors and headed for Protarius 4 to meet up with his god.

OoOoOoOoO

General Bauer sat behind the desk and browsed through the notes he had been left by General Hammond. There was a knock on the door, and he looked up, rather nervously. Was this the moment he had been dreading?

"What is it Sergeant?" he asked, though he had a good idea of what it was already.

"Sg-11 is overdue sir. Should I dial up PZ7 397 and try to raise them sir?"

Bauer sucked in a breath. The moment of truth was here. He nodded.

"You do that Sergeant. I'll be down in a minute."

"Yes sir!" Sergeant Davis replied and left the room, leaving the General to ponder his actions.

General Bauer swallowed the lump in his throat, he didn't like being a party to this, but he was being paid by Simmons and Kinsey to run the SGC. He had no idea why they wanted him back here, after the last fiasco he wasn't sure he wanted to be here, but his orders were orders and he didn't want to cross Kinsey or Simmons for that matter. People that did that tended not to live too long afterwards.

He tried pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, and hurried down to the control room.

"There's no word sir."

"What about the M.A.L.P?" Bauer asked, trying to sound confident.

Davis rattled the keyboard and the monitors showed why they weren't receiving any messages. The camera revealed four bodies lying around the foot of the steps leading to the Stargate. Each of them appeared to have a staff weapon blast, and each one of them were dead. The robotic probe detected no life signs. A whole team had been wiped out.

Bauer sighed with exasperation and not a little fear too. This wasn't supposed to happen.

Davis sat too stunned to move, as he gaped with disbelief at the picture in front of him.

"Sergeant," Bauer snapped him from his thoughts. "Arrange for their bodies to be retrieved."

"Um...yes sir!" Davis replied and called for a team over the PR system to an unenviable task.

Bauer returned to his office to contemplate if he was brave enough to defy the men who held his card of fate in their hands. Would he be able to bring them down and would they take him with them? Only time would tell, but he couldn't sit back and do nothing. He already owed SG-1 for saving his butt and the planet, and General Hammond had been generous to a fault. He picked up the red phone and waited for it to be answered.

TBC


	5. Chaos

_Here's another chapter for you all to read and I hope enjoy. A big thank you to everyone who reviewed the last one. I couldn't do this without all your support. THANKS!_

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

Bauer returned to his office to contemplate if he was brave enough to defy the men who held his card of fate in their hands. Would he be able to bring them down and would they take him with them? Only time would tell, but he couldn't sit back and do nothing. He already owed SG-1 for saving his butt and the planet, and General Hammond had been generous to a fault. He picked up the red phone and waited for it to be answered.

Chapter 5

"Carter you're with Daniel and General Hammond. Teal'c and I will watch your sixes. Keep in contact every hour on the hour! Or if Daniel finds anything," Jack ordered.

"Yes sir," Sam replied.

They all walked into the ruined city and looked around for anything amiss, but last night's check showed nothing untoward among the debris.

Jack pointed out a partially in-tact building.

"You wanna try that one Daniel, I think you might find something interesting in there," he said.

"What? How..."

Jack smirked and Daniel glowered.

"Last night? You went in there last night? And you wouldn't let me take a look?" he cried indignantly.

"Nope! I told you it was too dark."

"Yet you never said anything?" Daniel was almost yelling with impatience by now and with astonishment added. "Jack! You could have said something."

"What? And spoil the fun. What difference would it have made. You'd have been awake all night thinking about it," he grinned.

"I was awake all night anyway. You should have told me!" he pouted.

Hammond and Sam hid their smiles but Teal'c turned away to study the perimeter, so that nobody knew if he was smiling or not.

Jack waved away any further arguments from his friend and motioned them into the doorway, listening to the gasp of surprise from both Daniel and Sam when they saw the interior. Before he left them to it, he countered with a word of caution.

"Daniel! Carter!"

"Sir?"

"Jack?"

"Don't touch anything!" he said, ducking out of the doorway.

Sam grimaced, but Daniel glowered, throwing his hands into the air from frustration.

"Just saying," he yelled back as if he'd seen the gesture. He didn't wait for a reply, just added, "See you kids later!"

Jack and Teal'c took off in opposite directions, planning on meeting up again at the same point.

All was peaceful and Jack was bored. There was no threat here. He checked his watch; it was just past time for Carter to call in. He stopped and sat on a tumbledown wall to wait for her call, but minutes passed and no call came. He stood, wondering if there was a problem. He clicked on his radio.

"Carter? Daniel?"

There was no answer, just a little static.

"Teal'c? You listening in on this?"

There was no answer, just static from his Jaffa friend too.

He was already running when he released the radio button, having heard nothing from, nor been able to raise anyone on his radio.

He scrambled over the rubble for the next 15 minutes, finally meeting up with a worried too Teal'c just as a deep rumble sounded nearby and the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly. It was over almost before it registered, but it was still an unwelcome reality. Jack knew he had to get his team out of the ruins before they got buried alive.

They both ran onwards, heading for the building where they had left the trio.

Puffed from his run, Jack rushed into the building and ordered them all out, seeing as the radios weren't working.

Daniel was rather reluctant to leave; he was engrossed in the writing on the walls, as was Sam with some mathematical symbols. Hammond was rising to his feet wondering what was going on.

"Why?" Daniel asked petulantly.

"Colonel?" came the predictable cry from Sam.

"What's the problem Colonel?" Hammond needed to know.

"Didn't you feel that?" Jack gasped a little breathlessly, astonished that no-one had felt the need to get the hell out of there with the ground shaking beneath their feet.

"Feel what?" Daniel demanded, his hands on his hip.

Jack sagged in frustration.

"There was a earthquake, and yes, I know it can't be an earthquake as we're not actually on earth, but that's just being pedantic Daniel."

"Are you sure Colonel? We never felt a thing," Hammond responded trying to calm things down.

"Teal'c...did we or did we not just have an earthquake?"

Teal'c was about to answer when the ground trembled again only this time it was stronger.

"We did!" he answered needlessly.

"Okay, everyone out now," Jack yelled.

Daniel grabbed up his pack, as did Sam and hurried from the building as another stronger quake hit, trying to knock them all off their feet.

The General stumbled and lost his balance and Jack scrambled back towards him to give the older man a hand.

Teal'c get them outta here!" Jack yelled, meaning Daniel and Sam.

He'd just reached his hands down to help Hammond up when the floor gave way beneath them and the roof collapsed in on them.

Sam, Daniel and Teal'c had made it outside and looked on helplessly as the building collapsed behind them, cutting off Jack and Hammonds' escape. As they stood there in shock, wondering what to do, they were each rendered unconscious by a Zat charge.

Osiris smiled evilly as they were each carried over to where the ring transport had deposited her and her Jaffa troops. She wasn't particularly happy that she only had three of the infamous team, but knew without a doubt that there was no help for the other two who couldn't possibly have survived that cave in, and she wasn't even going to try; theirs was a hopeless cause.

The sharp rattle of earth type weapons distracted her and several of her Jaffa fell to the sudden onslaught. There was a brief but bloody battle and she'd had to activate her personal shield to keep from being killed. She escaped with some of her Jaffa as well as Sam and Daniel, by ringing up to her ship, hovering above the planet. Teal'c had recovered quicker form the effects of the Zat blast and had turned on her, trying to save his team-mates, but he and the other SG teams still outnumbered and their efforts were thwarted when more Jaffa arrived and he was wounded.

"Teal'c? What happened here?" Colonel Dixon demanded, pushing his helmet back from his brow and trying to see how bad Teal'c wound was.

Teal'c surveyed the devastation, and hung his head in defeat.

"I have failed my friends Colonel Dixon. Major Carter and Daniel Jackson are now prisoners of Osiris, and General Hammond and O'Neill I fear, may be dead," he intoned with regret.

"I didn't see them where are they Teal'c? Were they ringed up before we got here?"

"Regretfully no, they were still in the building when it collapsed."

"They're under there?" Dave Dixon whistled in disbelief. They'd be lucky to find them, but he doubted they would still be alive. "We need to contact General Bauer..."

"How did you know that SG-1 was in need of assistance Colonel Dixon?"

"Ah...that would be General Bauer's responsibility. He called us into the briefing room and we put together a rescue plan, but don't ask me how he knew you guys were in trouble, 'cause I have no idea. I had heard a rumour that the President got on to him, but then I wasn't there at the time."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow at this and puzzled as to how the President would know of this, but his main concern right now was getting O'Neill and General Hammond out from under the rubble and hope they had both survived.

OoOoOoOoO

The wormhole burst into existence and Davis turned immediately when the code came through.

"It's SG-13 sir. Shall I relay it through the speakers?"

Bauer nodded. He needed to know if they reached SG-1 in time.

"SG-13," he began, "What is your status?"

"We have a problem sir," Dixon said with a heavy sigh. Major Carter and Dr. Jackson were taken by Osiris. She zatted them and escaped despite our efforts sir. We have Teal'c but he was injured in the battle."

"What of General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill?" Bauer was wondering what had happened to them.

"That just the problem sir. They were in one of the buildings when it collapsed. We've got to dig them out. I request some more men and some heavy equipment sir. There's a lot of rubble to move. There was a lot of seismic activity when we arrived sir. There are still a few after shocks but nothing as strong."

Bauer didn't want to think about how Hammond and O'Neill might be dead, but he would pull out all the stops to bring them home.

"I'll get onto it right away Colonel. You'll have your help soon."

"Yes sir."

With that the transmission ended and the wormhole shut down.

Bauer issued his orders like bullets from a P-90 and then retreated to his office to hope and pray that his actions weren't too late to save Hammond and O'Neill; and to figure out the nightmare of how to retrieve Dr. Jackson and Major Carter.

TBC


	6. Ouch!

_Hey! Sorry to keep you all waiting again. Here's a longer chapter to keep you happy, even though it's a gloomy one._

_Thanks to all of you who sent in a review for the last chapter. C'mon guys… I need a little encouragement here! Real life is being rather cruel at the moment and I need all the help I can get with this story. _

_Please R & R!_

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

Bauer issued his orders like bullets from a P-90 and then retreated to his office to hope and pray that his actions weren't too late to save Hammond and O'Neill; and to figure out the nightmare of how to retrieve Dr. Jackson and Major Carter.

Chapter 6

Jack woke with a deep groan. First off, he tried opening his eyes but that was harder than he thought. When he did eventually open them, it was pitch black and he couldn't even see his hand when he brought it up to rub across his face to chase the cobwebs away from his mind. He hissed in pain when he encountered a deep gash down the right side of his face; the blood still sluggishly oozing towards his ear and through his hair. Deciding to take stock of his other injuries, he gingerly began testing his limbs and body, working out what hurt and what didn't.

At least his left arm seemed relatively mobile and didn't hurt as much as the right. Not that he could feel that one much anyway, he was lying on his front with it trapped beneath him; awkwardly he added mentally. It was when he moved to roll off it that most of his body protested. He gasped in pain and had to lie still for a moment or two just to be able to breathe. Oh, he knew so well the feeling of a broken rib or maybe two; been there, done that, yadda, yadda. He felt the air around him was filled with dust and having disturbed it, it was now irritating his throat and lungs and he wasn't looking forward to the tickle building up inside. He tried to hold the inevitable cough back but it would not be stopped and exploded from him in a cacophony of pain.

'Crap,' he muttered to himself when he'd managed to bring his breathing under control again, 'Okay, sooo not gotta do that again anytime!'

He slowly shifted his abused body to a more comfortable position and then tried to move his legs. His left knee hurt, but then that was nothing new there. The right leg was a different matter altogether though. As soon as he moved it, he was almost overtaken by nausea, and blackness swarmed at the edged of his vision...if he could see any difference in the dark that was. He held his breath and waited for the pain to subside.

As he lay there, his mind tried to recall how he'd come to be where he was. He tracked his last movements in his aching head. There was an earthquake as such; he recalled that. Running back into the room and ordering his team out, pronto. Then he remembered turning back to help... Oh god! Hammond!

"General?" he yelled. Where the hell was General Hammond? He had to be down here somewhere, and if he wasn't speaking, then he had to be injured too, perhaps...? "No!" Jack cried in denial; he wasn't going to think that. His CO had to be alive. "George!" he yelled louder and was rewarded with a grunt of pain coming at him from somewhere out of the darkness.

He fumbled for his P-90, stretching out his left hand to feel for it, before he realised he was still lying on it, with his right arm pinned under it. "Oh great!" he sighed, knowing that to move it he would have to shift his weight. He gritted his teeth and waited for the pain. It was hard, and it was excruciatingly painful but he managed to get the weapon free by rolling off it. The exercise left him breathless and more nauseated than before.

Tamping down his own feelings of agony and hoping that he wasn't going to barf any time soon, he tried for sitting up. It was at that point he realised that there wasn't enough headroom above him as he hit his sore head on a lump of alien concrete suspended over him.

"Owwww!" he cried. "That hurt!" he muttered with another, "Crap!" when he realised what he'd done. By feeling above his head, he found that he could sit up, but he had to keep low which wasn't the most comfortable of positions. Hoping his light still worked, he felt his way along the P-90's barrel until his fingers encountered what he knew was the lightswitch. He flicked it on, blinking in the sudden brightness that flooded the immediate area. He shone it round the room until he could see General Hammond's body lying awfully still just a few feet from him; and from the angle he was seeing him in, it looked as if he was worse off too.

He turned the light onto his legs and swore when he saw the damage to his shin. The front of his pants below the right knee was shredded and torn away revealing a very ugly looking injury, his inner flesh and bone were exposed to the world and it was caked in dirt and dust. He winced at the sight, but he didn't think the leg was broken, he wasn't seeing any jagged bone sticking out for which he was more than thankful and although it hurt, it didn't hurt like a broken leg would have done.

Another groan from his superior, had him sliding carefully inch by inch from under the huge slab of ceiling that by some miracle hadn't landed on him. He pulled back, wincing with the movement, but he needed to check on the General.

Undamaged hand behind, dig in his good heel, lift and drag. It seemed to take him ages to move just that few feet to where his commanding officer lay in a crumpled heap. He'd switched off his light and let the P-90 dangle from his neck while he moved, and only stopped when he came into contact with the warm body behind him.

Flicking on the torch again, he ran the beam over the General, looking and feeling for injuries. It was difficult holding the heavy weapon with his damaged arm, but he pushed the pain away out of concern for the older man.

A broken ankle by the feel of it, he could feel the bones grate when he'd felt it and the funny angle it was lying gave it away too. His hand moved upwards, and with relief found nothing else wrong with the leg. Moving over to the other leg, he could see that the lower leg bone or bones were broken. The General must have landed pretty heavily on his feet then pitched forward when his leg and ankle broke under him.

Jack edged his way up the lax body and felt no other abnormalities until his fingers encountered a sticky wet patch on the General's brow.

"Ah!" Jack sighed. That would account for his lack of response. "Nice concussion there sir?" he muttered to the darkness, acutely aware that the General probably wouldn't hear him.

He tucked his fingers under the General's chin and felt for a pulse. It was a little sluggish, but at least it was there. He patted the General's back and told him to hang on in there. Then he tried his radio.

"Carter? Daniel? Teal'c? Anyone there?"

There was a lot of static and nothing else. He tried a few times more but gave it up as a bad omen. They were stuck there until help arrived, and he could only hope that his team had escaped the ruins and gone back to the Stargate for help.

He shifted his pack from his shoulders, relieved that he was still wearing it, and rummaged around by feel, until he came across his first aid pack.

He laid the P-90 on the rubble strew floor and proceeded to pour a little alcohol over his leg wound. It stung like crazy and he bit through his bottom lip, trying to hold the pain in. He gasped, holding his breath as much as he could and eventually managed to let go when his lungs were fit to burst. Then, taking one of the field dressings, wound it round the damage as tightly as he could to stop the blood loss. It was awkward to say the least especially trying to cope one handed as he was; his right arm was practically useless.

Having tied the bandage, he looked to fixing the General's leg. He shuffled down towards the older man's feet and inspected the wound closer, deciding that he would have to turn him over to get a better angle. He wasn't looking forward to doing this; he knew it was going to hurt like the sonovabitch, but he had to set it. He had no choice.

Fixing the ankle first to his satisfaction, he then roughly splinted the broken leg, and then rolled the General over onto his back. His first sight of the break was worse than he though. There was bone fragments poking up through the skin and he winced in sympathy. There was also a lot of blood leaking from the sight which meant he had also severed a vein or something; it didn't look like it was anything worse like an artery.

He flicked the cover off his watch and saw that by his estimation they had been down there for over two hours, and it confirmed his thoughts that if it had been an artery the General would probably be dead by now.

"So," he sighed loudly, "Here we go General. I'm sure this is gonna hurt me more than it is you," he winced again. Biting his lip with a mixture of sympathy and determination, he pulled on the foot to straighten the leg, seeing the bone slip back into position. He just hoped he hadn't made it worse.

The General groaned out loudly and tried to move away from the pain.

Jack talked his commander through it, ordering him to stay still.

"Don't move General!" he yelled, "Stay still sir. You've got a busted leg."

Hammond stilled, but Jack didn't know if that was because of his yelling at him, or the fact that the General was now fully aware that his leg was broken and couldn't bear to move it.

"Sir?"

Hammond's thoughts were sluggish, but he'd heard the advice, though he was unable to process where he was or how he'd broken his leg.

"Colonel?"

"Yes sir," Jack responded automatically. "Try not to move General. You've broken your leg and the other ankle. I'm gonna strap it up as best I can for now until help arrived.

General Hammond couldn't think straight. He could feel Jack touching his leg but the pain was too intense for him to worry what the colonel was doing.

"Help arrives? Wha...what happened?" he asked, trying to think past the pain.

"There was an earthquake and the floor collapsed underneath us. Oh, and I reckon you have a nice concussion there too sir."

"Tell me about it!" he muttered. So that's why his head hurt?

"I'll come and see to that cut now General. I'm done with your legs."

He'd managed to bandage them up, tying them together to make it almost impossible to move them at all. Jack half slithered, half shuffled back towards his CO's head, dragging the pack with him.

He played the light over the General's wound and then propped it up so that he could use his good hand to clean the bloody mess away and then he could slap a dressing over it.

Hammond felt awful. He had a headache the size of the Grand Canyon. Whenever he opened his eyes he felt the room was spinning despite the fact he couldn't see a damn thing in the dark. Until he had seen Jack wielding the torch around, he thought for a moment he'd gone blind. His leg was killing him and so was his ankle.

He could hear Jack's laboured breathing and suddenly realised that Jack wasn't in any condition to be looking after him.

"Jack?"

"I'm right here sir." He felt Jack touch his shoulder.

"How're you?"

"Oh, I'm just peachy sir."

"Colonel!" he said a little sterner; at least he'd tried to, but it was little more than a croak in the dusty atmosphere. He coughed and then felt the cool rim of a canteen at his lips and Jack was tipping water into his mouth. He swallowed it gratefully. "Thanks!"

"Can't give you too much General. Don't know how long we'll be down here before help arrives."

"You didn't answer me Jack? What's wrong with your chest?"

Damn, thought Jack; he'd noticed.

"Is that an order...sir?" he quipped, trying to deflect the General.

"Colonel!" Hammond warned.

"I think I have a coupla busted ribs. In fact I know I definitely have a couple of broken ribs, sir." Jack frowned in the darkness. He wouldn't mention the fact that he'd also torn his leg to shreds on some damn sharp rock or whatever it was, nor would he mention that he had a bum arm and a probable concussion too. The General had enough problems of his own to be worrying about him as well.

Jack sat in the dark, having turned his light off to conserve the battery, Hammond seemed to have either passed out again or hadn't got anything to say to add to the situation. He could only sit there and wait for the cavalry to arrive and hope they made it before the General's condition worsened... or his for that matter; his chest was hurting and breathing was getting harder.

TBC


	7. Prison sucks

_Thank you so much for all the great reviews. I hope you enjoy this chapter too._

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

Jack sat in the dark, having turned his light off to conserve the battery, Hammond seemed to have either passed out again or hadn't got anything to say to add to the situation. He could only sit there and wait for the cavalry to arrive and hope they made it before the General's condition worsened... or his for that matter; his chest was hurting and breathing was getting harder.

Chapter 7

Sam was slumped dejectedly into the corner of the cell, her aching head in her hands. Daniel sat in the opposite corner, feeling just as miserable.

They were more than a little disconcerted to wake up and find themselves prisoners of Osiris, but their main concern was what had happened to Teal'c, and whether Jack and General Hammond were still alive under all that debris?

They had lost track of how long they had been there. One thing for certain though, was that they were miles away from that planet by now and that no-one back on Earth nor Jack, General Hammond or Teal'c knew where they were by now; so rescue seemed an impossible dream. If they were going to escape, then it would have to be up to them to find a way out, and ultimately get home again.

They had no way to discern the time as their watches and all of their gear had been taken away while they were unconscious; all they had on was the standard T-shirts and BDU pants whose pockets had been emptied long ago, and their boots.

The tell-tale clomp of Jaffa boots echoed along the corridor and grew nearer. Sam stood up to face whoever was coming, but Daniel stayed seated in his corner.

"About time too," he grumbled when the door to their cell opened.

Several Jaffa were there, pointing their staff weapons at them, and Sam wondered what they were meant to do when a smaller human servant appeared with a tray of food and a jug of water. He stepped into the cell just in front of the door and laid it down on the floor before retreating. The door slid shut with a hiss. No words were spoken or exchanged during the brief encounter.

Once the door had closed behind the guards, Sam dropped down onto her haunches to take a look at the food. She lifted the lid and wrinkled her nose at the offerings.

"That bad huh?" Daniel snorted when he saw Sam recoil slightly from the smell.

"It's better than nothing Daniel," she retorted, though she wasn't so keen on trying it. She divided the soup between the two bowls and handed him one, along with a chunk of what she took to be a sort of bread. She poured out a glass of the water and sipped it. "At least this is water, and not some drugged up juice or whatever," she sighed, taking a longer gulp, "You should be thankful that at least we aren't going to starve to death."

Daniel took a mouthful of the soup and almost retched.

"You're kidding! Sam, have you tasted this stuff?" Daniel cried, feeling as if starving would be the better option in his opinion.

Sam looked up at Daniel's pained face and gulped.

"We have to keep our strength up Daniel," she said, fortifying herself for the coming ordeal of actually tasting it.

She took a small sip and choked over it, pressing her lips tightly together to stop herself from hurling.

"Oh God! That is disgusting!" she groaned when her stomach had settled enough for her to talk again.

"Exactly," Daniel agreed. "I think I'll just stick with the water and the bread from now on."

"Me too!"

Sam knew that they should eat the soup, but she couldn't bring herself to swallow it. She placed the bowl back onto the floor and took the bread and the water back to her corner.

She and Daniel nibbled on the hard bread between sips of water, trying to make it last. Who knew when the next meal might appear? They both hoped it would be better than the last concoction.

Some 30 minutes later they heard marching feet again. They listened to them come to a stop outside the door, then the tell-tale hiss of the door foretold of visitors. The door slid open and the Jaffa seemed to stop in their tracks.

"You have not eaten your meal!" he accused.

"Not likely!" Sam grunted.

The head Jaffa paused and turned to whisper something in the ear of the Jaffa behind him. The younger Jaffa scooted away in a hurry.

"You will come with us!"

"Why?" The question came out of Daniel's mouth even before his brain caught up.

The Jaffa glared at him and lowered his weapon, aiming it at Sam.

"My Lord decrees it. You will move or the female will die!"

Daniel's hands flew up to ward off the attack on Sam.

"Okay. Okay! I get it," he cried, jumping up.

The weapon was removed and Sam glared, casting daggers at the Jaffa.

They were herded out into the corridor where they were led away, and after endless twists and turns they found themselves kneeling in front of Osiris.

"Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter."

The Goa'uldsmiled cruelly, and stood up on her long legs, then walked round them, as if inspecting them.

She curled a finger under Daniel's chin, and pushed his head up to look into his eyes.

"You will not escape me this time Daniel," she whispered, trailing her long finger seductively down and around to the back of his neck where she played with his hair.

Daniel shuddered at the touch, unable to forget that it was something that Sarah loved to do and knew that it had always affected his libido. He quashed the feelings that it was Sarah and steeled himself against the wiles of Osiris using her memories. She was not going to get to him through his former love for the host.

Osiris must have sensed this and dropped her hand. She moved on to Sam.

Coming face to face with the Major, she smiled cruelly at the set hardness of Sam's features.

"It is such a pity that we couldn't get the rest of your colleagues out from under the ruins. My sensors detected no life signs. Your precious Colonel O'Neill and General Hammond therefore are dead.

Sam couldn't help the distressed gasp that escaped her throat at this news. She was hoping that at least the Colonel and Hammond had survived the fall, but her heart sank at the news.

"Anubis would have killed them anyway, just as you two will be eventually. He has methods of gaining all the knowledge from you. An extremely painful and messy method it may be, but very effective. You have much to look forward to at his hands. A slow and very excruciatingly painful death will follow... unless..." The Goa'uld paused for effect and took to her throne again, looking at her captives.

"Unless..." she continued, "...you tell me how to penetrate the Tau'ri shield that protects your 'Stargate' as you call it."

Sam glared up at her, her blue eyes spitting fire, but she remained silent.

"I could save your deaths at Anubis' hands," Osiris added, hoping to get through to their sense of preservation.

Neither Daniel nor Sam uttered a word, causing the Goa'uld to become angry, though she calmed herself, and turned once more to Daniel.

She stepped from the dais and walked slowly towards him; her long legs purposely showing beneath the chiffon garments.

She took hold of Daniel's hand and placed it on her bare thigh, making him rub it.

Daniel tried to snatch his hand away, determined not to be used in this way.

"It doesn't matter what you do," he ground out through gritted teeth, "I'm not telling you anything!"

Osiris' anger rose within her, suffocating her with frustration. She struck out in temper and Daniel was knocked off his knees, reeling from the hard blow to his cheek.

It took all of Sam's fortitude to stay where she was and not rush to help her friend. She couldn't allow Osiris the pleasure of knowing how close they were. She did thank god that perhaps it was better that the Colonel wasn't here, because she would not have been able to stop herself from helping him. She fought a lone tear at the thought of his death and hoped if she were to die, that they would be united in the afterlife, as they could never be in this one.

Osiris flung herself back onto her throne and flicked an impatient hand at her prisoners.

"Take them back to the cell. Deprive them of all food; perhaps their hunger will drive them to reconsider my offer."

The Jaffa bowed low and Daniel and Sam found themselves dragged from the room and hustled back to their cell.

Once they were alone, Daniel took hold of Sam's hands, looking into her pain filled eyes.

"Don't believe her Sam. Jack's alive. She's just saying that to get at us. Trust me Sam. I know he's still alive. I can feel it. She's lying!"

"I don't want to believe her Daniel, but..." she at last let the tears fall.

"Trust in him Sam. He's still alive!"

Daniel gathered her into his arms, and they took comfort from each other. Jack had to be alive and if they knew him as well as they thought; he would come for them.

TBC


	8. Digging for Buried Treasure

_Hey, I'm sorry this took so long to get out. I was under the weather and the first thing that went missing along with my health was my muse. I hope it's back now I'm feeling stronger._

_Thanks for all the reviews guys! I really appreciate them._

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

Daniel gathered her into his arms, and they took comfort from each other. Jack had to be alive and if they knew him as well as they thought; he would come for them.

Chapter 8

The heavy lifting gear arrived at the site when the loaded F.R.E.D rumbled to a halt nearby. They didn't want it to get too close to the danger zone because it might disturb further falls and that would no way help towards the rescue attempt.

The radios were useless; either the Colonel's and the General's were broken or the two officers below were too badly injured and couldn't respond; or there was the possibility that they were both dead. Something that no-one up top, or back at the SGC, even wanted to contemplate.

The rescue team began unloading their ropes and pulleys and set up a framework to use as a hoist, to remove the heavier lumps of rubble.

Orders were shouted, equipment checked and double checked, and the operation to free their trapped comrades was underway. Volunteers from the SG teams worked alongside some of the security forces who had experience of Earthquake rescues. A medical team was on standby for when the teams succeeded. A human chain was set up, passing the lighter rocks and debris from hand to hand to clear the area.

Flood lights were installed by Siler and his team to illuminate the site for when it grew too dark to see. If it had been for any other incident, Siler would have taken pleasure in being off-world for a change, but the fact that his two senior officers were trapped, injured and possibly dying below the mountain of rubble, had grabbed his whole attention and he worked solidly to play his part in the rescue; moving to help with the mound of debris when his job was done.

The site was a veritable hive of activity.

OoOoOoOoO

Was it him?

Or was it really getting harder to breathe?

Jack awoke with a jerk, having not realised he'd drifted off to sleep. He checked his watch, he'd been out for about an hour. He winced in pain when his body had reminded him of his injuries, and made a mental note not to move again quite so suddenly. After trying to drag some air into his lungs through the flaring agony, he wondered if it was just him having problems, but he could hear George was having the same trouble too.

Then the problem must be with their air supply; it was getting stale and thin.

Being sealed into a tomb with the extent of their injuries was just no fun, but now it seemed as if their oxygen supply was running out. Jack wondered if their situation could possibly get any worse.

"Crap!" he muttered breathlessly.

He knew he'd made a mistake.

He shouldn't have thought that.

Murphy's law was in full swing again.

A slow long rumble echoed and vibrated around them, growing louder and more violent as another tremor shook the land.

Dust and debris rained down on them. Jack ignored the agony that filled him and blackened the edges of his vision when he threw himself protectively over the General's inert form.

Long moments passed as chips of sharp masonry dropped onto his back and head, and he prayed it would stop before anything bigger knocked him out or killed him or both of them.

The noise stopped and silence as fresh clouds of dust filled their tomb.

He waited, panting harshly in between coughing up lungful after lungful of thick cloying dust.

When he felt it was safe enough to do so, he tried to move off the General's inert form, but found it a harder task to move again than it had been to get there in the first place.

With all his strength he pushed himself up and over, groaning against the grinding of his ribs and the pain in his arm as he tried to use it to help.

Eventually he managed it but had flopped backwards to lie in the dirt. There were fresh lumps of masonry digging into his back but he was too busy trying to get his breath back to care at that point. Breathing was more important.

Agony flared in his chest, as he gasped and coughed again in the dust filled atmosphere. He felt the world begin to slip away, but for the soft pathetic coughing that issued from the General, reminded him he couldn't give in and brought him back from the brink. Hammond needed him and he wouldn't give up.

He forced the welcoming pull of oblivion away and reached out to touch the General's arm.

"General?" he gasped.

"Ja'ack?" came the soft rasping croak which ended with another feeble cough.

"I'm here sir," Jack replied a little breathlessly. His own throat dry and croaky too. He desperately needed some water, but wasn't sure what had happened to his canteen, or the General's.

"Wha...hapn'd?" Hammond asked. His voice was slurred and thick like he was drunk.

Jack knew he wasn't of course. He was hurt. Concussion, Jack remembered, but obviously the General hadn't.

"We took...a little...unscheduled...side-trip sir."

"A whaa?" Hammond's voice was weaker now. The man didn't have long, and Jack knew it.

"Earthquake? Falling...through the...floor?" Jack quipped, hoping the General would have some memory of the fall.

Hammond tried to move but ended up gasping in pain.

Jack knew the man was hurting, hell so was he, but he didn't have anything to give him, not even an aspirin. Daniel and Sam had been carrying the proper med kits as they were the ones trained in field medicine, all he had with him was a few bandages and dressings, and he'd already used them up. Yeah, he was trained in administering the medication too, but normally he'd let them handle any bad injuries.

"You shouldn't...move sir. Busted...leg." He didn't add that he'd kinda mentioned it before, concussion would make it difficult to remember things, besides, he couldn't spare the breath for a long explanation.

Hammond tried to look down at his leg, even in the darkness but as he moved his head felt like it was going to explode. He groaned a little more when let it fall back a little harder than he should have done.

Jack lifted a heavy hand and patted his CO's shoulder to reassure the General that he was going to be alright. He hoped.

"Take it...easy sir. Help...arriving...soon. Carter...sent Teal'c...back f'r help."

"Escap'd this?"

"I...yes sir," he hesitated. He was pretty sure they had made it out of the ruins before the collapse but he couldn't be certain. He sure hoped that had, otherwise they really were up the proverbial creek without a paddle and the General didn't need to know how really bad it was. What Jack didn't know of course, was that Sam and Daniel had been captured by Osiris and no-one knew of their whereabouts.

Silence fell once more, except for the harsh breathing of both men. The air was foul and full of dust, making it even harder to breath. Jack checked Hammond's pulse, knowing it could be the last time ever and then laid down again, uncaring of the uncomfortable position. He was beyond weary and in pain; panting with effort to draw breath and with a deep sigh of regret, he allowed the lassitude he felt to sweep him away too, not knowing if he would ever wake again.

OoOoOoOoO

Teal'c stopped for a few seconds to stretch his back and wipe the sweat from his brow. He took in the scene of organised chaos around him, then without further ado, leant himself to his task again with renewed vigour. His warrior brother was trapped below along with the much respected officer, General Hammond; he would not stop until he had uncovered them and released them from their concrete tomb.

His hands were blistered, and assorted cuts bled freely, but he would not stop his efforts. All the time he worked his mind wandered between his brother O'Neill and his physical state, and the fate of his team-mates abducted by the evil Goa'uld Osiris.

Another tremor ran through the ground and all around him people stopped and waited for it to stop, but Teal'c refused to cease his work. Gradually others began to follow his example and carried on working through the tremors.

Stone by stone was pulled from the heap and Dave Dixon scratched his head, wondering if there was any point to this; surely no-one could have survived underneath this lot. He glanced towards Teal'c, the man was almost fanatical about his task, and then Dave knew how he would feel if it was two members of his team trapped under there. He renewed his efforts too and encouraged the others to shift their butts and hurry because there was no knowing how badly injured the General and Jack might be, and time was something they might not have. He pushed all thoughts of their demise from his mind. They just had to be alive.

The men worked steadily, moving great slabs from the scene; each revealing another underneath.

A shout from the far side of the site called their attention.

Teal'c and Dixon ran there in record time, each eager to see what their colleague had spotted.

A black hole had appeared and Teal'c grabbed a light from one of the men and laid flat on his stomach to peer into the dark depths.

Shining the torch around the small chamber, he saw two bodies lying still and unmoving. His heart plummeted at the sight, but he swallowed the thought that they were too late and turned relieved brown eyes back to Colonel Dixon.

"We have found them!" he cried with the merest hint of grim smile.

TBC


	9. Rescue?

_I most sincerely do apologise to you all for keeping you in suspense all this time. I hadn't realised it had been so long since I updated. There has been so much going wrong in RL that this sort of got pushed onto the side-lines. Sorry! I'll try not to keep you hanging on any more. _

_Thanks for your reviews anyway guys. They are always much appreciated._

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

"We have found them!" he cried with the merest hint of grim smile.

Chapter 9

Along with the dust and debris that fell downwards into the chamber, it was the fresh air that was mostly welcomed, though neither of the occupants were conscious of that fact or that they were about to be rescued.

Dave Dixon tapped Teal'c on the shoulder and took his place to get a look inside where his CO and his friend were. He flashed a powerful torch around the darkness until he lighted on the two inert figures. He wondered if they were too late, then shoved that thought away; he wouldn't allow himself to give up yet.

Pushing himself upright again he started to bark out orders.

Ropes, pulleys, and teams were organised to drop a pair of medics into the hole so that they could assess the damage done to Jack and the General, while the rest of them worked on widening the access so that the stretchers carrying their precious cargo could be lifted out without too much hassle.

Several minutes later Lt. Andrews was pulling on a harness, his backpack already lowered down into the dark space below. He sat on the edge, his feet dangling over nothing and with just a little trepidation, he was lowered away.

His feet swung in the air, the rope twisting so that he spun round a few times, and Andrews closed his eyes until he felt his feet touch down. He opened his eyes thankfully and scrambled to free himself, ready for Lt. Baker to follow.

He watched the rope disappear and turned to sweep the light around the chamber. Once he had spotted his patients he headed there with his gear.

Both were deeply unconscious but alive.

He released the breath he hadn't realised he was holding and pressed the button on his radio.

"Colonel?"

"Yeah. Go ahead Andrews," Dixon replied.

Everyone up top was waiting anxiously for the news; worried that they were too late.

"They're both alive sir!"

A cheer rang out and everyone wore happy smiles as they went about their rescue with renewed vigour.

"Okay Lieutenant...let's see if we can keep them that way. Lowering down Baker now."

OoOoOoOoO

There was a knock on the door.

Bauer looked up to see Sgt. Davis standing hesitantly in the open doorway.

"Sergeant?"

"Colonel Simmons is up top sir. He's demanding to see you General."

"He can demand all he likes Sergeant. This mountain stays closed until we get our people back."

"Yes sir."

Davis turned away and walked back to the control room; a smug smile on his lips. At least the General had come to his senses at last. He'd moved heaven and earth to get the rescue teams underway without raising suspicions in higher places. Obviously there was some news leaking through from someone, but with the mountain closed up tight, it would only be a matter of time when someone would show their hand.

He'd only just sat down when the klaxons announced an incoming wormhole.

Bauer shot from his chair and hurried down to the control room and stood behind Davis' chair.

"Sergeant?"

"It's SG-1's Iris code sir," Davis informed him.

Bauer nodded and Teal'c's voice came through the connection.

"General Bauer," Teal'c acknowledged. "We have located the whereabouts of General Hammond and O'Neill. They are both reported to be alive."

There was an audible sigh of relief from those in the control room, and Bauer gripped the back of the technician's chair harder, in order to keep himself from falling to his knees. His legs shook but he sucked up his courage and replied to the Jaffa with a thankful voice.

"That's good Teal'c. Do you have any further information on their state of health?"

"Not at this point in time General Bauer. We are waiting for their medical assessments before we can move them."

"Acknowledged Teal'c. Keep me appraised of their progress."

"I will General Bauer."

The communication shut off and the wormhole closed down with a snap, leaving an eerie silence in the room.

Bauer breathed another sigh of relief; all that remained now was the hope that the search party could catch up with Osiris before she reached her destination and rendezvous with Anubis, and that they could successfully rescue Major Carter and Dr. Jackson.

OoOoOoOoO

Daniel wrapped his arms tightly round his stomach trying hard to prevent it from rumbling. He was sooo hungry despite the fact that he and Sam were in a desperate situation.

Nevertheless, the gurgle of hunger escaped the confines and echoed loudly around the silent room.

Sam couldn't help the little snort of amusement when she heard it.

"I ought to call you Charlie Allnut," she giggled, naming him after Humphrey Bogart's character in movie, 'The African Queen'.

Daniel looked up at her and smiled sadly. It had been almost two days since their meeting with Osiris and since they had eaten any food.

"So that makes you Rose Sayer?" he retorted. "I don't exactly see you as a Katherine Hepburn type."

Sam giggled again. She couldn't help it. She was sooo hungry that she was feeling light-headed. She had to laugh, otherwise she would cry. For the last 48 hours or so, or whatever length of time had passed by, she had pictured Jack lying broken and lifeless beneath a pile of rubble. She just couldn't get those images out of her mind. Her laugh ended on a sob and Daniel realised that she was nearing the end of her tether.

He scooted over to her, pulling her into a hug, soothing her jagged psyche with words and gestures of comfort.

They both felt the jolt when the ship dropped out of hyperspace. Looking each other in the eye, both knew what that meant. It could only mean one thing; that they had reached Anubis' home-world. They had reached the end of their journey and possibly the end of their life.

Sam dragged in a calming breath and patted Daniel's hand to reassure him that she was once more in full control of her emotions. She could do this; she wanted to die like a warrior, so that Jack could be proud of her. The consummate officer that he believed she was.

The door slid open and they stood to face their destiny together.

The Jaffa gestured for them to walk in front of them, following the First-Prime through the long winding hallways. Flickering fire-light lit their path to the ring-room where they were ordered to stand ready for transport to Anubis' palace below them on the surface of an unknown planet.

Sam's fingers touched Daniel's as they stood side by side on the ring pad.

The Jaffa around them aimed their weapons at them, making sure they didn't try anything.

There was a moment of disorientation when a fire-fight broke out around them. Sam and Daniel dropped to the floor trying to avoid being hit. The noise abated and they caught a glimpse of several dead bodies lying about, just before they were transported out.

The rings and the bright light obliterated their view of what had happened.

Sam felt Daniel's fingers grip hers and she squeezed them back.

"Was that a rescue attempt?" she asked, still troubled by the strange events.

"If it was, then what just happened?" Daniel replied with a question of his own.

Did it fail? They both wondered.

The rings deposited them in a dark room, the muted gold of the walls filled with shadows.

From out of the dark a stranger's deep voice welcomed them to his humble abode.

Daniel felt Sam shiver, and gripped her fingers tighter, though he was fighting to stop himself from shaking too.

"Major Samantha Carter. Dr. Daniel Jackson. Welcome. Come, my master wishes to meet with you most urgently."

Disappointment flooded Sam's heart at his words. She glanced round at Daniel and sucked in a huge breath. This was it. They were completely at his mercy. There would be no escape for them.

They followed the dark robed servant, heads bowed down in defeat, but hearts and minds determined to face their death with equanimity.

TBC


	10. Escape!

_Sorry to keep you waiting so long folks. Hope you enjoy this chapter too. Thanks for all your reviews, they mean so much to me._

_Hope you all had a great Christmas and I wish you all the best for the New Year!_

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

They followed the dark robed servant, heads bowed down in defeat, but hearts and minds determined to face their death with equanimity.

Chapter 10

As they walked, Sam noted that they were still on a Goa'uld ship and not inside a palace as they had first thought or expected. She cast troubled eyes towards her companion as they followed the hooded figure.

Daniel frowned back and took a look over his shoulder, realising that they were alone and that there were no guards escorting them. He reached out and touched Sam's hand, tugging on it slightly, to point his thumb over his shoulder. Sam turned to see what Daniel was indicating.

As soon as she realised they were on their own with just one member of the enemy, Sam signalled to Daniel of her intent. It was time to make a break for it. Gesturing wildly, they both quickened their steps enough to reach out and grab the man in front.

He yelped as he went down under both their weight, and Daniel hit him with a right hook that surprised both of them when the man fell limp in their grasp.

"Wow, Daniel!" Sam gasped in a whisper, looking down on the sprawled inert figure. "I didn't know you could do that?"

"Nor did I!" he replied dryly.

"Quick, grab his arms, lets put him in here out of the way."

They pulled him into a side room, that thankfully was empty, and Sam shut and locked the door behind him. Their only regret was that the man was unarmed, so they couldn't take his weapon and put it to good use.

Behind them, they heard footsteps and then staggered unsteadily as the ship attempted to launch into hyperspace, but failed.

They looked at each other, wondering what went wrong and was in store for them. They had to get off the ship, doubting if they would be able to overcome the entire Jaffa crew let alone Anubis, but it was worth a try.

They hurried off towards where the Pel'tak was, hoping that they could take the Jaffa in there and lock the doors as they had done once before on Apophis' ship some years ago.

They met with no resistance along the route, and were surprised to see just one person in the control room flying the ship. He was tall, well built and wore a hooded cape, just as the servant had.

Sam and Daniel split up and circled the figure. They knew this wasn't Anubis, his hands were uncovered as he worked the controls.

Sam held up her fingers, counting off; three...two...one...

Daniel tackled him from the right, and Sam from the left. They all went down heavily, the man grunting as he impacted the floor underneath the two friends, Sam wrapped his cloak around his face so he couldn't see and Daniel gave it his best shot and smacked his fist against the helpless man's jaw, hoping to knock him out too.

The figure stilled , but only for a moment before his strength returned and forced Daniel from his chest, then sat up complaining loudly, pushing the hood and the folds of material from his head.

Sam sat back on her heels and gasped in disbelief.

Daniel whipped his head round, eyes wide at the familiar voice.

"Dad?"

"Jacob?"

"Well, that's a nice way of saying thanks for saving your butts, I must say. It's good to see you two too!" Jacob snarked.

"God, Dad, we didn't know... I mean, nobody said..." Sam stuttered. "We thought we were on Anubis' ship!"

Jacob snorted with amusement.

"I heard you two were in trouble, so I 'borrowed' this ship. Ba'al's not too happy about it, but, what the heck? How about we just get the hell outta here?"

"What about the hyperdrive?" Sam asked, checking over the controls already.

"I think I've fixed it for now, but I'm not sure how long it will last. We sustained a little damage during our escape from Ba'al."

Jacob returned to the control panel and started pressing the glowing orbs, manoeuvring the ship easily and engaged the hyperdrive, this time with success. Sam and Daniel standing slightly behind him to look over his shoulder as they moved through the darkness of space.

"How did you know where we were?" Sam's curiosity was overwhelming her now they were relatively safe.

"We had a spy on Osiris' ship and they sent a coded message about the rendezvous with Anubis. We managed to get there first and stay cloaked until she arrived. They only way off that ship was to use the rings, so I intercepted your transport. You ended up on here, rather than in Anubis' palace. They're probably still wondering what went wrong."

"God, I really thought we'd had it this time. Have you heard anything about Jack and General Hammond?" Daniel asked, wondering how they were faring.

"What about Jack and George?" Jacob demanded, worry beginning to churn his stomach. He hadn't been in touch with the SGC. He'd set out straight away as soon as he'd heard that Sam and Daniel were on board Osiris' ship heading for a not so pretty get-together with Anubis.

"Ah, we were on P5Z 721. We were exploring a temple when there was a quake. Colonel O'Neill went to help General Hammond, wh..."

"Wait a minute!" Jacob cried incredulously. "George was off-world with you?"

"Yeah. The PTB in Washington decided that we needed a babysitter," Daniel snorted in disgust. Their meddling had probably cost the lives of two good men, both of whom he considered his friends.

"What?"

Jacob couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"A babysitter? What the hell were they thinking?"

"Apparently Sg-1 has a reputation for leaving too many costly items behind in our haste to leave a planet. Of course having Jaffa or angry natives on our tails didn't seem to make any difference. General Hammond was there to see if we left equipment behind on purpose," Daniel informed him, his voice betraying his inner thoughts as to that lame excuse.

"So what happened to Jack and George?" Jacob persisted.

Jacob turned towards his daughter, as her eyes dropped to the floor and visibly paled, leaving Jacob to think the worst.

"The floor gave way Dad. We don't know what happened to them. Then the rest of the temple collapsed on top of them. We don't know what happened after that. We barely escaped that only to be captured by Osiris."

Daniel stood with his eyes closed and his arms held tightly across his chest.

"Osiris said she couldn't detect any life signs so we left them there," he mumbled morosely.

"What about Teal'c? Wasn't he there?"

Sam raised her shoulders in a shrug and flapped her hands against her thighs. She turned away, tears glistening in her eyes.

Jacob knew how much she admired George, and if the truth were known how much she cared for Jack too, despite the regs. Teal'c also held a place in her heart too as a warrior brother, so to possibly lose all three of them would be a pretty heavy blow for her to cope with. He moved the few steps towards her and wrapped her in his arms, comforting her.

"I'm sure it's not as bad as you think Sam. Jack's pretty tough and so is George. I'll drop you guys off on Falopia Minor. There's a Stargate there..."

"We don't have a GDO Dad," Sam sighed.

"That's okay. I got mine. Brought it along knowing you guys probably 'lost' yours."

Sam offered her father a warm smile, and hugged him tightly, thanking god that he was still alive. 'Where would she be without him?' she wondered.

TBC


	11. Home Again

_Here you are folks, another chapter – a longer one this time – to keep you happy. I'm off for a little while, but I will be back with another chapter just as soon as I can get back to you._

_Thanks for all your reviews, I really do look forward to getting feedback...it helps me to improve and encourage me in my writing._

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

Sam offered her father a warm smile, and hugged him tightly, thanking god that he was still alive. 'Where would she be without him?' she wondered.

Chapter 11

"You hungry?" Jacob asked when Sam's stomach rumbled. She giggled and nodded.

"Starving!" Daniel sighed with longing. It had been so long since they'd eaten. "You have some food handy?"

"Sure. Ah...em...what did you do with Corlam?"

"Who?"

"They guy who was supposed to bring you here?"

"Oh...um...him," Sam hesitated a little, grimacing with recollection. "We...er...jumped him too. Daniel knocked him out!"

Jacob swung round to gape in astonishment at the younger man. He'd always seemed such a mild mannered kid.

"You did?"

"I didn't know who he was. He was a Goa'uld...well, I'm guessing that would be a Tok'ra now, huh?" Daniel explained defensively, pulling a face in remorse.

Jacob nodded, trying hard not to grin.

"Sorry!"

Jacob laughed, slapping Daniel on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. But, what did you do with him?" he asked, wondering why his friend hadn't joined them on the bridge.

"We kinda locked him in a store-room of sorts."

Just then the door burst open and Corlam entered followed by several more Tok'ra. He looked relieved to see Jacob chatting and laughing with Sam and Daniel.

"Corlam, come, meet Jacob's daughter and Dr. Jackson," Selmak called, taking over from Jacob.

Corlam stepped forward and executed a regal bow to both Sam and Daniel. The other men, melted away into the background and disappeared back through the door.

"It is my honour to meet you Major Carter, Dr. Jackson of the Tau'ri. Jacob has told me much about you."

"Thank you Corlam, and I'm really sorry we hit you."

"Think nothing off it Major Carter, Dr. Jackson. I am relieved that we were able to be of service to you."

Sam acknowledged his concern with a nod, then asked, curious as to why they had acted in secret.

"Tell me, why did you pretend my father/Selmak was you master?"

Corlam looked at Jacob who snorted, laughing, bringing about a smile on Corlam's lips too.

"Actually, your father wanted to surprise you Major Carter."

"Well, he did that all right!" she replied dryly.

"Food, Corlam. These two are hungry!"

"I will fetch some from our supplies," he said, dipping his head a little as he turned away.

"Don't mind him," Jacob said with a sigh. "We rescued the host, Eldwain, from a Goa'uld kitchen where he was little more than a wretched slave. He was thin and emaciated and near to death through abuse, but Corlam needed a host and he volunteered. He still treats us like kings, and we can't get him to change his ways. Corlam, humours him a little, I think, just to keep the peace. It's all he knows; he was just a little kid when he was taken from his home-world. He's happiest when he thinks he's serving us. Sort of a 'thank you' I guess."

"What about when you fight the Goa'uld?" Daniel asked curious about how the host would deal with the Tok'ra symbiote in a time of crisis.

"Corlam usually takes control, but Eldwain is no push over. Don't let that servitude approach fool ya; he has a score to settle with the Goa'uld and he fights real hard."

The man in question entered again, dipping his head as was his custom. He handed them a plate with some bread like substitute, and something that tasted like cheese, though the dark red colour puzzled them a little, and a skin of water. Not wishing to look a gift horse in the mouth, they both tucked in hungrily.

OoOoOoOoO

Two hours later, they were ringed down to a deserted planet. It was night here, and the two moons were just slivers of light in the darkness. A cool breeze blew round their clothes and rustled through their hair, but Jacob assured them it was safe here. What little wildlife there was, was fairly tame and the only danger they were in, was by being licked to death from an over-zealous welcome. It reminded Daniel of his first trip through the gate to Abydos, and being woken by that slobbering Mastidge after being taken on an unexpected ride across the sand dunes; feet first!

"Okay!" he said, looking round as if trying to avoid whatever creatures there were around. He moved across to the DHD and began dialling home.

"Thanks for the rescue Dad. I really didn't know how we were gonna get outta there. At least in one piece." Sam stepped into her father's embrace and hugged him tightly.

"Hey, glad I got there in time. Just...promise me you'll stay outta trouble in future kid."

"I can't promise you that Dad. Not with this job," she sighed regretfully.

"I know kiddo. So keep your head down, okay?"

"Sure I will Dad," Sam grinned, stepping out of his arms and back towards Daniel.

Jacob readied the GDO for when the huge plume of matter spewed from the centre of the Stargate. He pressed the code on the remote device and waited, watching and waving to Daniel as he stepped through. Just before Sam disappeared, he called her attention.

"Sam! Don't forget to let me know how George and Jack are okay?" he called with a wave.

"I won't. Bye Dad!" She waved back then stepped into the vertical puddle of the event horizon and out onto the ramp at the SGC amid chaos.

OoOoOoOoO

Amid all the efforts to clear up the gate-room from the debris left behind when SG-13 and the volunteers had arrived home, General Bauer stood at the foot of the ramp, a worried frown marring his features. If anything, he looked older and his white hair thinner, Sam noted. He wasn't her favourite General by any means, but she knew enough from her dad, to acknowledge that without his interference, she and Daniel would be prisoners of Anubis by now. It was Bauer's message that had sent Jacob off to find his daughter.

"It's good to see you Major Carter, Dr. Jackson. I trust your rescue went according to plan?" Bauer greeted them with a hesitant smile, unsure of his reception.

"Yes sir," Sam nodded, looking around. "Any news on the Colonel and General Hammond sir?" she asked, bringing her eyes back to the General before her.

"SG-13 came through just a few moments ago Major. Both General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill are being prepped for surgery." His gaze dropped to wards the floor where a few spots of blood still showed evidence of an injury. Sam wasn't sure who it belonged to, but closed her mind that it might be Jack's, and that he could be badly hurt.

"Sir, permission to..." she broke off as Bauer interrupted her with a wry twist of his lips.

"Get yourselves to the infirmary Major, Doctor. Have yourselves checked out. We'll debrief at 08:00 tomorrow. Dismissed!"

Sam saluted the senior officer and she and Daniel headed out of the room, desperate to find out how Jack and the General were, and Teal'c too.

They met up with the huge Jaffa as he was standing vigil outside the OR.

"Hey, Teal'c, how are you?" Sam called when she rounded the corner to see his impassive form blocking the doorway.

"I am well Major Carter. Your presence here indicates that Jacob Carter's mission was successful. I am pleased that you and Daniel Jackson appear unharmed."

"Yeah Teal'c. Dad arrived in the nick of time. How's the Colonel?"

"Dr. Fraiser is attempting to repair the damage. Both General Hammond and O'Neill were unconscious when we rescued them. There was very little air left when we broke through to the chamber they were sealed into. As to their injuries, I do not know the full extent, but it was obvious they had both suffered extensively."

Daniel sighed, hugging himself in classic anxiety pose, but he sat down on the chair to wait for an update on his friend.

Sam slumped into the chair beside him, folding her arms to stop herself from chewing on her nails, or knuckles; the elation of being free having been replaced with deep concern for her...not exactly lover, not yet, but she had dreams; what girl didn't? Jack loved her, of this she was sure, and she loved him dearly, despite his annoying little foibles. Perhaps after this, they would actually do something about the intolerable situation concerning those damned frat regs.

OoOoOoOoO

"You agreed. You went into this with your eyes open Bauer!"

The angry voice spat a stream of obscenities down the phone at him, but General Bauer brushed it off. For the moment he was safe; no-one could enter the mountain until he'd given the order to open it up again, but for now they were all sealed in tight for the duration.

"...anything to get back behind a command placement." The voice continued sneeringly. "After that last little fiasco, you were washed up and retired. We...I gave you another chance and you blew it. I..."

Bauer dropped the phone back onto it's hook and sat pressing his threaded fingers against his lips as he pondered what to do for the best. Yes, the voice had been correct; he had done this, knowing the outcome, but then, he'd been thinking and had come to his senses at last. He wasn't cut out for all this cloak and dagger, backbiting, and secret revenge thing; he hated it. Now he'd thought it over, he'd changed his outlook, knowing what he did now, and having gotten to know the people involved, he knew what course of action to take. At least the President had agreed with him and was backing him one-hundred percent.

He picked up the phone and dialled for base security.

"Colonel Masters? Colonel Simmons and his entourage are once again demanding entrance at the front door, please show them to a nice comfortable cell somewhere and detain them...indefinitely." he paused listening to the Colonel's questions. "The charge? Two counts of attempted murder, and the blackmailing of a superior officer of the USAF," he said. Squashing the startled yelp of surprise from the Colonel, he made it plain that those were his orders and they had come directly from the President.

He dropped the phone back into place and stood, making for the elevator; only one thing filling his mind now, and that was to find out how Hammond and O'Neill were doing.

OoOoOoOoO

The doors swung open and the gurney, loaded with IVs and other paraphernalia, was pushed out into the corridor; the crew heading it towards the infirmary proper.

"Janet?"

Sam pounced on her friend as soon as the petite Doctor had appeared behind the loaded gurney.

"How is he?"

"Sam. Are you okay?" Janet deflected the question, by her concern for her friend who had still been missing when they'd gone into surgery.

"I'm fine. We're fine!" she sighed in exasperation, she was desperate to know how Jack was. "Janet, please!"

"Colonel O'Neill will be fine, given time. He's got a couple of broken ribs; a deep gash on his leg; a badly bruised arm which lucky for him wasn't broken, though it will probably feel like it is for a while. He has a high fever from an infection, but we're tackling that with antibiotics. Concussion... the usual, bumps, bruises, scrapes..." Janet listed and would have gone on, but Daniel stopped her short, not really wanting to hear how much Jack was suffering, only that he was going to be okay after all.

"What about General Hammond?" Daniel asked.

"He'll be okay too. Thank god! Unfortunately he'll be off work for some time. He's broken his right ankle and also his left leg in the fall and gained a pretty bad concussion too, earning himself several stitches in his forehead. Other than that, he's just fine."

Sam and Daniel both let out a huge sigh of relief; unable to bear the thought that the General might have died out there along with Jack.

"Can we see Jack?"

Janet smiled and shook her head in resignation, not in the least surprised by their request.

"Let me get him settled into bed and then you can sit with him for just for a short while. His fever is uncomfortable at the moment, and I need him to rest as much as possible. Give me five minutes guys."

Daniel nodded and watched their friend walk away. He placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.

"I told you he was tough Sam."

"Sure!" Sam gulped, holding back on her tears of relief. Jack always bounced back after an injury, you'd think she would know that by now; but it was still hard to see him like that, hurting.

The hand on her shoulder moved into a gentle tap and they moved off towards the infirmary, eager to see their team leader and friend, happy in the knowledge that he was going to be okay.

TBC


	12. Recovery

_I'm back! Actually I never left. We changed our plans at the last minute, due to unforseen circumstances._

_Thanks for all your reviews, and I hope you enjoy this, the penultimate chapter._

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

The hand on her shoulder moved into a gentle tap and they moved off towards the infirmary eager to see their team leader and friend.

Chapter 12

Jack shifted awkwardly, his chest uncomfortable but at least he could breathe again. The last thing he remembered was the stifling airless cavern underneath the temple back on that planet and a lot of pain, but whatever he was lying on was warm and soft, and the familiar aromas filled his nostrils with the scent of the infirmary.

So, rescue. Home.

As the memories came back so did his concern for General Hammond.

He forced his eyes open and blinked in the low lights of the room. Shifting his head he could see a fuzzy shape bending over another occupied bed and he wondered if it was Hammond.

"Sir?"

He turned his head and came face to face with a nurse. One he recognised but didn't know by name.

"Hammond?" he asked, surprised when his voice was no louder than a whisper.

She looked across to the other bed then returned her gaze to him with a smile.

"He'll be just fine sir. Dr. Warner has pinned his leg and casted his ankle, but he'll be out of action for some time.

She offered him some ice chips which he held onto for a while before swallowing and savoured the feel of it melting in his mouth and then the cool liquid as it slid down his dry throat.

"Colonel?"

Doctor Fraiser's voice interrupted the news as he saw Janet approach him from the foot of the bed. Her smile was one of relief.

"How are you feeling sir?" she asked, as the nurse slipped away, leaving her to speak with Jack alone. She stood at his side and shone that dreaded pen light into his eyes about which he complained bitterly.

"Must you do that every time I open my damn eyes?"

Janet's smile deepened. Now she knew he was going to be okay for sure. If he was complaining already then he was certainly on the mend.

"Are you in any pain still, sir?"

"Nope! Well, only when I move Doc. Headache too."

"Uh huh!" she muttered, adjusting the IV. It was hardly surprising that his head ached really, after what he'd gone through.

"My team?"

"I ordered them to go eat and then sleep Colonel. They've all had a tough time but they refused to leave the infirmary until they knew you would be okay."

"So, what's the damage?"

"Broken ribs, a lot of bruising, a nasty gash on your leg which led to an infection Colonel. You've been out of it with a high fever since they brought you back. Concussion, badly bruised arm. Shall I go on?"

"Don't remember a thing after... Well, let's just say we didn't expect to wake up!" he quipped, shrugging and wincing when the movement pulled on his healing ribs.

"You're both going to be fine Colonel. General Hammond woke up three days ago." She didn't add that he was being a worse patient than the Colonel on a bad day.

"Days? How long have I been out?"

"You were rescued on Wednesday, and today is Sunday."

"And the others? They're okay you say?" he asked, wondering if any of them had been injured during the quake too.

"Teal'c was the only one injured, though not because of the earthquake sir..."

"Indeed not O'Neill!"

"Hey! Teal'c!"

The big Jaffa stood in the doorway, observing his friend, glad to see him awake and obviously feeling better.

"It is good to see you O'Neill. Daniel Jackson and Major Carter were exceedingly worried for your welfare."

"Yeah, you too Teal'c. So, what happened?"

"As you would say O'Neill, it is a long story."

Janet sniggered and hurried away before she broke into real laughter. It wasn't often that Teal'c got the better of the Colonel.

"So you all got out and what?" Jack said, manfully ignoring the smirking doctor. "I'm not goin' anywhere; so tell me!"

"We did not," Teal'c replied, his head tilting upwards in a gesture of 'I know something you don't.'

"Did not what?" Jack was confused. Here he was only just awake and still suffering from a concussion or fever or whatever; add to that, Janet was pumping him full of drugs too, so no wonder he was being a little slow on the uptake. "Teal'c!" he sighed, feeling his headache worsening.

"I did as you instructed O'Neill. I manoeuvred Daniel Jackson and Major Carter from the temple but we were immediately set upon by Osiris and her Jaffa. I was slightly wounded while the others were rendered unconscious by a Zatnikatel.

"What?" he almost yelled, bringing Janet back into the room.

"Colonel O'Neill!" the admonition came this time from the next bed.

Jack stiffened at the sound of his CO yelling at him.

"Sir?" he gulped at the tone. One he knew well. Hammond was annoyed with him.

Jack turned to face the wrath of the General, only to see him break out in a smile.

"Glad you're feeling better Jack!" Hammond said, grinning with relief. He wasn't going to admit to being more than a little worried about the Colonel, especially as he was near delirious with fever only a day ago. "Get some rest, and worry about what happened later."

"Yes sir," Jack sighed. He knew his kids were safe, and now he thought about it, he was feeling more than a little tired.

Teal'c nodded his approval and sat himself down in the chair to keep vigil over his brother warrior while he slept. Explanations could wait until he was well once more.

Jack relaxed in the relief he felt when Teal'c took his seat. His family were fine, he was safe, he was home and that was all that mattered. For now at any rate.

OoOoOoOoO

They were a motley crew that sat round the briefing room table a few days later. General Hammond was sitting in a wheel chair which had been pushed up to the table. Jack had hobbled there on crutches which he had laid down on the floor beside his chair. General Bauer was sitting at the head while the three members of SG-1 sat facing the invalids.

General Bauer called the de-briefing to order.

"First of all, General Hammond, SG-1, I would like to take this opportunity of apologising to you all, especially to Major Carter and Dr. Jackson. This whole situation was my fault; though not in entirety..."

There were gasps of disbelief along with denials that he was to blame for their predicament. Bauer held up a hand to stop them, his head hanging down in shame.

"I must confess that I would like nothing more than to be exonerated from this but I can't in all honesty claim that honour. What I did was entirely my own greed and selfishness."

"What are you talking about?" Hammond asks, thoroughly confused.

"This whole scenario of you going off world George. It was all a plot to get rid of you and Colonel O'Neill. They had a spy working here and they were in collusion with Osiris. She was meant to capture you on that planet and deliver you to Anubis. He planned on turning you into Goa'ulds so that he could gain all the secrets this base held..."

"Who are 'they'?" Jack asked, needing to understand who was behind all this. "Just who are we talking about here?" Jack didn't like the idea that someone had planned all of this and was willing to sacrifice Earth at his and Hammond's expense. He had no doubts that Anubis wouldn't have stopped there. He would have moved on Earth just as soon as he had the codes.

Bauer bowed his head and sighed. He couldn't bear to look them in the eye.

"I only know the name of the person who was pulling my strings in this game. But, don't worry, he's sitting in a cell on the President's orders awaiting trial. As to how far up the chain this goes, I can only guess, but one mane sticks out more than any others. There won't be any proof though; the man's a genius for getting himself out of sticky situations..."

"Kinsey!" Jack spat, feeling his hatred for the slimy senator grow more intense.

Bauer didn't deny it so they all knew he was the most likely candidate for such a daring scheme. Nobody would put it past the man, and he was most skilful at covering his tracks.

"Yeah, that I can believe," Daniel sighed. Was there no end to the dirty tricks the man would try to get rid of Jack? And now he was trying to get rid of General Hammond too.

"There isn't any evidence that actually points to him but, I know the man is more than capable of this."

"Yeah, we know Kinsey too well. We won't find anything to nail him on this sir," Jack sighed, throwing his pen down on disgust. "You can bet your sweet life , he'll be as clean as a whistle General."

"So who is sitting in the lock-up?" Sam asked, curious as to who it could be.

All eyes turned to Bauer.

"Colonel Frank Simmons."

TBC


	13. Confessions

_So here is the final chapter in this story. Thank you to all of you for all those wonderful reviews over the past month or so since I first posted it. I hope the ending is everything you wanted._

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

_Previously:-_

All eyes turned to Bauer.

"Colonel Frank Simmons."

Chapter 13

"Now why doesn't that surprise me!" Jack sighed wearily, feeling deflated now as well as sore. He ran a hand over his face and up through his hair. He slumped back into his chair, closing his eyes momentarily.

"You okay Colonel?"

A hand on his arm and his Commander's voice pulled his thoughts back to the meeting.

"Ah, yes sir. Just sick and tired of these guys never giving us a break sir."

"Too right Jack, but this time General Bauer is on our side."

Jack grimaced and lifted one corner of his mouth in a wry half smile.

"Yeah, that's better than last time." He said, then shot the General in question a quick apology. "Sorry sir. No offenceintended General."

"That's okay Colonel. I understand. I'm just sorry it came to this, and that you and George were injured."

"If we hadn't fallen into that ruin, and been trapped then who knows where we'd be. It's more than likely that we'd be speaking Goa'uld and would probably have infiltrated the SGC by now with the fate of Earth in the balance. I for one am not gonna complain about a few broken ribs and a bad leg. What about you sir? Are you quibbling about your legs sir?"

"No way Colonel. At least this planet is safe for the time being." Hammond agreed.

"So what are we going to do about Kinsey?" Daniel asked, worried that he might find another method of disposal for both Jack and the General.

"There's nothing we can do Daniel. At least not for the time being. He won't try anything else just yet, that's for sure. He'll have to wait until this all blows over and by then who knows? Maybe we can come up with something, ya know, dig up a little dirt from somewhere in his past that might just push him over the edge. We can only hope..." Jack sighed and Hammond and Bauer nodded in agreement.

"The main issue here now, is that instead of going after the Colonel and myself, he'll have set his sights on the one, who according to Simmons, has betrayed him. I spoke with the President earlier today and we're both agreed if you still want a piece of the action Ken?"

All eyes turned towards General Bauer who frowned back in puzzlement.

"I don't think I'll be safe in whatever I do George. He'll be out for my blood. There's not many hiding places in this world that I will..."

"That's just it Ken. How would you like to disappear? Literally off the face of the Earth? We need a senior officer to take charge of the Alpha site? We need someone like you out there Ken. There's no way they would be able to get at you out there. At least you wouldn't be constantly looking over your shoulder on the off chance of coming face to face with any would-be assassin."

"Are you offering me redemption George?" Ken Bauer chortled, then sobered. "I'm not sure I could do that! Look how I messed things up the first time, and this time round hasn't exactly been a picnic! For any of us!"

"So now's the time to make good. As far as I'm concerned you handled this situation more than satisfactorily, and that's good enough for us. Take it or leave it Ken it's up to you, but you'll have to live with the very real threat out there, that someday someone may be willing to take you out."

"What about my wife? What will I tell her? She'd be left vulnerable and alone."

"I don't see any reason for your wife to stay behind, do you? I'm sure the boys would make her feel more than welcome," Hammond smiled.

Bauer looked stunned. That these people whom he'd betrayed had forgiven him enough to think about him and his wife, Noreen, then who was he to argue? He was humbled before them and moisture filled his eyes, though he managed to hold the forming tears at bay.

"In that case George, I can hardly refuse. Thank you. All of you!"

He drew the de-briefing to a close, but sat there in silence until everyone had gone. He couldn't ring his wife, she would just have to put up with the fact that she would have to leave nearly everything behind if they were to succeed in drawing off the hounds.

Simmons was in jail awaiting trial.

Kinsey was having to sit it out and hope he wasn't implicated in anything that would finally take him down.

The soldier that had spied on the SGC had mysteriously disappeared, and they could all guess as to what that implied.

Perhaps now they were free of Kinsey for the time being.

Bauer stood and stretched his legs, feeling every year of his age. Retirement was a no go; knowing they would stop at nothingfor revenge, so the only option open to him was to go off-world.

He walked the few steps across the room and stood looking down onto the Stargate. It was silent for the moment, but he knew all that could change in the blink of an eye. He wondered what Noreen would make of it all, knowing his work had been classified top secret and that he was unable to tell her about it; now all that had to change. He only hoped that her heart would be able to take the news which he couldn't break to her until they were both ready to leave. Not that he didn't trust her after all these years; it was just... she liked to gossip and might accidentally let slip that they were going away; and the less people knew about their leaving, the better.

He'd regret not being able to tell his friends about moving on, but then, they would have been more shocked on hearing of his unexpected 'accident' if he stayed.

This was the only solution.

He turned away from the wondrous sight and headed determinedly to the infirmary where he would find George. He needed a word in private.

OoOoOoOoO

"You need a lift home Jack?"

Jack raised his eyes and frowned at his young friend.

"Ah...no thanks Daniel. Uh...Carter's already volunteered," he said as nonchalantly as he could.

Daniel finished lacing up his shoes and glanced along the bench at him from over the top of his spectacles. He then straightened and pushed the glasses further up his nose, his eyes still fixed on his friend.

"Oh! Okay," he said, slowly chewing the meaning of Jack's words over in his genius mind, and putting two and two together to make four.

"You have a problem with that?" Jack asked, almost seeing the cogs in Daniel's brain working overtime.

"Uh... No! No. I... Never mind. Are you going to be okay? I mean, Janet's letting you go home early... I thought you might need some help?"

"I'm fine Daniel. It's not the first time I've used crutches, and the ribs are okay too," Jack sighed with a smirk. He knew what Daniel was worried about, and he was right, but this time it was different. Normally he would have Daniel stay over but this time he actually needed to talk to Carter...Sam.

"I know."

"Good. Just so long as you understand."

"Oh... I think I understand alright Jack. I won't say a word," he answered smugly.

"Daniel!" Jack warned, his voice level dropping with ire.

"It's okay. It's about time is all I can say."

"What?" Jack gasped. Did he just hear that from Daniel's lips?

"Nothing. Teal'c owes me is all!" With those parting words he left Jack to it, turning round at the door to shoot him a big grin.

"See you in a few days!"

"Yeah," Jack sighed shaking his head in disbelief. Did everyone know his business? Were they being too obvious? If everyone else knew did Hammond? Oh god...perish that thought!

"Sir? You ready?"

Sam's voice floated through the door and Jack hurried to pull on his jacket.

"Be there in a second Carter."

"Okay."

Jack stood up with a sigh and a slight hiss of pain, but pushed the almost constant ache aside and picked up the silver grey crutches and hobbled out of the locker room.

Sam beamed at him as he joined her in the corridor.

"You okay Colonel?"

"Never better Carter," he grinned back. Her smile could lighten any dark day for him.

The walk to the elevator was slow and although the conversation was almost nonexistent, it didn't matter, such was their companionship.

Jack eased himself into his truck and Sam helped to strap him in; twisting to pull and fasten the seat-belt was beyond his battered body's capability just yet.

She shut the door on him and hurried round to the other side. His truck was his pride and joy and never let anyone else drive it normally, but this was one exception; he'd been injured. If Daniel offered to drive him home, they would have used his car, but shefelt privileged because Jack had allowed her to drive his precious truck.

Jack kept his eyes firmly fixed on the passing scenery, flicking past the window, although every now and then would glance her way.

He caught a glimpse of her studying him whenever she could sneak a look and before long she was helping him up the path to his front door.

She settled him on the sofa and squatted down at his feet, looking up into his exhausted face. It seemed no distance at all to her, but he was still suffering and must have taken more out of him that he'd expected. He was slightly breathless and had lain his head back and closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath and relax from his efforts.

"Colonel..."

The softness of her voice pulled his thoughts back to her and he turned to face her. She tentatively placed her warm hand gently on his knee.

"Carter?" he responded, torn between looking into her moist blue eyes and her hand on his knee. He settled on her swimming azure eyes.

"Jack," she whispered, and Jack sighed with pleasure at the sound of his name from her lips. "We... I thought I'd never get to see you again. We all thought we'd lost you and the General back there. Then with our capture, well..." she broke off as her voice broke on a little sob. She gulped it back and dropped her eyes to the floor. "I'm really glad you're okay."

"Sam," Jack sighed. He'd felt the same way, being trapped and injured; running out of air. His hand covered hers and gently, he squeezed it. "Don't go there. That's over with now. It's all in the past. We got out of it. We're okay. There's no need to..."

"Yes there is. I need to say this sir," she said stubbornly, automatically reverting back to calling him 'sir'.

"Jack!" he said, just as determinedly. "We're talking off the record here Carter."

"Sam," she said, grinning at his reference too. It was just so conditioned; it came so naturally.

He gave that lop-sided boyish grin that she loved so much and playfully swiped at him, intentionally missing by a mile.

"Okay, Sam," he agreed, loving the feel and freedom of saying it.

"Jack," she sighed, makinghis namesound almost erotic.

"I don't want to hide this any more. Not between us. I know we have to keep it from everyone else, but I can't go on without you knowing how I feel."

He touched a finger to her lips, shushing her.

"I know."

"You do?"

He nodded and smiled sadly, he loved her too, though she hadn't said as much in actual words, but he knew she loved him. The worst part about it was knowing there wasn't a thing they could do about it either. Yet!

"I love you Sam. I didn't realise it until that day of the testing. I knew for certain then. We can't do anything though; not without splitting the team up. I don't want you to have to leave the team, and I don't want to have to be posted off somewhere else. I'd miss you like crazy."

"Me neither," she sighed. "I want to be with you all the time Jack. I want to be there to cover your back. At least that way I can help protect you."

"And me you."

He pulled her up from her knees and pulled her onto the sofa next to him, wrapping his arms around her, so her head was resting on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss to her hair, whispering those three words once more.

She smiled and he swore he could almost hear her purring. She pulled away and looked up into his dark eyes, looking into the depths of his soul.

"I love you too Jack. Will you wait for me? Until we've done this? Until whenever this is over?" she asked, worried that he'd not want to wait for however long it would take.

"I'll always wait for you Sam. Always!"

She snuggled up to him, feeling secure in his arms. The world was always a safe place with Jack around and she closed her mind on the thoughts of what had so recently been a near disaster, and thanked her lucky stars that he had survived and that he returned her love too.

The End.

_Hope you all enjoyed this story! Please let me know if you did, because whatever your comments, it helps me to gauge if I'm getting this right or not._

_Another story is on the way so don't go too far!_


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